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ST  ANDARD^BRED 

LEGHORNS 

Brown,  White,  Buff,  Black  and  Silver  Dnckwing 


Their  Origin  and  History  and  Practical  Qyalities;  The  Standard  Requirements;  How 

to    Mate   and    Breed    for    Best    Results ;    with   a   Chapter   on    Non'Standawd 

Varieties;  How  to  Judge  Them;  Commercial  Leghorn  Egg  Farms 


J.  H.  DREVENSTEDT,    Editor 


CONTRIBUTED    TO    BY    THE    BEST    KNOWN    AND 
MOST  EXPERT  BREEDERS  AND  JUDGES  IN  AMERICA 


FULLY  ILLUSTRATED 


Text  and  Illustrations  are  Based  Upon  the  Requirements  of  the  1910 
Edition  of  the  American  Standard  of  Perfection 


PRICE,    ONE    DOLLAR 


PUBLISHED  JOINTLY  BY 

Poultry  Publishing  Company,   Buffalo,   New  York 
AND 
Reliable  PouKry  Journal  Publishing  Company,  Quincy,   Illinois 


Copyright  by 

Reliable  Poultry  Journal  Publishing  Co. 

qiincy,  illinois 

1911 


INTRODUCTORY 


HIS  new  breed  book,  devoted  to  the  Leghorn  race  of  domesticated  poultry,  is 
pubHshed  at  a  time  when  thousands  of  poultry  raisers  are  taking  up  the  dif- 
ferent varieties  of  Leghorns  for  the  purpose  of  supplying  the  ever-increasing 
demand  for  white  eggs — a  demand  not  local,  but  extending  from  the  Atlantic  to 
the     Pacific     Coast     and     from     the    Dominion  of  Canada  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

To  the  splendid  achievement  of  American  breeders  in  giving  to  the  poultry  in- 
dustry the  Plymouth  Rocks,  Wyandottes  and  Rhode  Island  Reds,  must  be  added  the  Leg- 
horns. All  varieties  of  the  latter,  excepting  the  Bufifs  and  Duckwings,  originated  in  the  United 
States,  and  the  high  standard  of  perfection  that  the  Browns,  Whites,  Blacks — and  we  might 
add  the  Buiifs — have  reached  today,  is  due  to  the  intelligence  and  perseverance  of  American 
Leghorn  breeders. 

From  the  little  red  Italiens  of  the  middle  of  the  last  century,  which,  like  Topsy,  "jest 
growed  up,"  and  the  appearance  of  the  allied  white  variety  at  the  same  time,  has  sprung  the 
modern  race  of  Leghorns,  comprising  eight  Standard  and  four  non-Standard  varieties. 

In  preparing  this  new  and  enlarged  edition  of  "The  Leghorns,"  the  instructions  to  the 
editor  were  to  set  the  pegs  far  apart  and  get  up  a  book  worthy  of  the  great  Leghorn  family — 
one  that  would  be  a  text  book  of  authentic  information  on  the  history,  mating,  breeding,  exhib- 
iting and  marketing  of  Leghorns,  regardless  of  the  time,  labor  and  expense  involved  in  such  an 
undertaking. 

This  agreeable,  albeit  difticult,  task  has  been  carried  out  to  the  limit  of  the  energy,  ability, 
and  knowledge  possessed  by  the  editor.  As  an  old  breeder  of  Leghorns  of  over  twenty  years 
ago,  as  well  as  a  judge  of  Leghorns  at  the  earlier  Madison  Square  Garden  Shows,  and  at  other 
great  exhibitions  years  afterward,  our  opportunities  for  handling  and  examining  all 
varieties  of  Leghorns  were  many,  while  the  experience  gained  enabled  us  to  study  the 
evolution  of  the  Leghorn  fowl  in  America,  with  eyes  wide  open,  sifting  the  real  from  the 
imaginary  facts  with  greater  satisfaction,  and,  we  trust,  with  more  accuracy,  than  if  we  had 
had  to  rely  on  the  written  statements  of  writers,  past  and  present,  alone.  The  conclusions 
arrived  at  are  based  upon  substantial  facts  obtained  from  a  careful  research  of  the  records,  as 
well  as  personal  observation  in  the  show  room  and  breeding  yard,  and  impartially  presented 
for  the  careful  consideration  of  our  readers. 

We  are  greatly  indebted  to  America's  foremost  Leghorn  breeders  for  the  many  valuable 
articles  contributed  to  the  different  chapters  of  "The  Leghorns,"  such  articles  being  of  per- 
manent benefit  to  all  admirers  of  the  popular  Leghorn  fowl.- 

The  art  work  by  Franklane  L.  Sewell  is  one  of  the  great  features  of  the  book.  Mr.  Sewell 
stands  pre-eminent  among  poultry  artists  of  the  world,  and  his  Leghorn  studies  are  among 
the  finest  illustrations  his  artistic  skill  has  produced .  They  convey  most  beautifully  the  evolu- 
tion of  the  Leghorn  type  from  its  embryotic  stage  to  the  present  Standard  ideal.  A.  O.  Schilling, 
I.  W.  Burgess,  L.  P.  Graham  and  H.  G.  Froby  also  contribute  excellent  and  important  illustra- 
tions of  modern  exhibition  specimens. 

The  chapter  on  Commercial  Leghorn  Farms  is  invaluable  to  practical  poultry  raisers.  It 
gives  the  methods  of  successful  Leghorn  poultry  farmers,  illustrated  with  photographic  views 
of  buildings  and  appliances,  and  will  convince  many,  if  not  all,  readers,  that  there  are 
sound  reasons  for  proclaiming  the  Leghorn  to  be  "The  Business  Fowl  of  the  Twentieth 
Century." 


J.   H.    DREVENSTEDT. 


v^^  12635 


The   Leghorns 


Ta  ble     of     Contents 


Page 

Brown  Leghorns,  Past  and  Present,  Jos.    F.  Carter 43 

Breeding    White    Leghorns    to    Standard     Requirements    59 

Breeding  Rose  Comb  White  Leghorns,  P.    H.  Edwards   62 

Buff  Leghorns  of  the  Past,  Prof.  W.   P.    Wheeler    81 

Buff    Color    Breeding    Problems,    Ezra    Cornell  87 

Buff  Leghorns  For  Show  and  Table,  Wm.  H.  Bushell    88 

Black  Leghorns 89 

Color  Breeding  in  Brown  Leghorns,  W.  Theo.  Wittman 39 

Commercial  Leghorn  Farms,  J.  H.  Drevenstedt   107 

Evolution  of  Leghorn  Type,  F.  L.  Sewell 23 

English  Buff  Leghorns 96 

Egg  Farming  in  Greater  New  York,  R.  P.    Ellis 124 

Feeding  and  Housing  Leghorns  For  Profiit,  Symposium    134 

Feeding  For  Best  Results,  Grant  M.  Curtis 139 

Heads,  Combs  and  Wattles,  F.  L.  Sewell 74 

How  to  Make  White  Leghorns   Pay,   Le  Roy  Sands    130 

Judging  Leghorns,  D.  E.  Hale 98 


Leghorn  Shape  and  Color  Sections  (Illustration)    15 

Leghorns  in  England,  Frank  L.  Piatt 94 

Leghorn    Broilers    For    Hotel    Trade,    J.     Courtney     Punderford 128 

Mating  Buff  Leghorns  For  Shape  and  Color,  Aug.  D.  Arnold 82 

Modern  Buff  Leghorns,  J.  Courtney  Punderford  83 

Origin  of  the  Leghorn  Fowl,  J.  H.  Drevenstedt  7 


Rose  Comb  Brown  Leghorns,  W.  W.  Kulp 44 

Red  Pyle  Leghorns,  George  E.  Howell 92 

Single   Comb    White    Leghorns,    D.   W.     Young 56 

Standard  Leghorn  Shape,  1896,  (Illustration) 13 

Silver  Duckwing  Leghorns,  J.  H.  Drevenstedt   91 

Standard  For  Red  Pyle  Leghorns 93 

Typical  California  Leghorn  Farms,  Prof.   Jas.  Dryden   133 

White  Leghorns,  J.  H.  Drevenstedt 53 

White  Leghorn  Breeders,  Symposium 63 

White  Leghorn  Bodies,  Tails  and  Legs,  F.   L.  Sewell 69 

White  Leghorns  in  South  Africa 97 


CHAPTER  I 


Origin  of  the  Leghorn  Fow^l 

Hiatory  of  the   Development  of   the  Leghorn  Breed  of   Domestic   Fowl,  a  Breed  that   now  Consista  of   Eight 
Standard  and  Nine  Non-Standard  Varieties — White,  Brown  and  Blaok  Leghorns  First  Produced  and 
Exhibited    in    the  United    States    in    the    Middle    of  the   Nineteenth  Century— White  Leg- 
horns Imported  from  America  to  England  in  1869,  Buff  Leghorns  Intro- 
duced into  England  from  Denmark  in   1888 

J.  H.  Drevenslsdt 


LEGHORNS  have  been  known  and  bred  for  a  very 
long  period  of  years  in  Europe  as  "Italiens,"  prioi 
to  their  arrival  in  America,  and  are  still  known  by 
this  name  on  the  Continent  of  Europe.  In  England  they 
have  been  known  as  Leghorns  from  the  time  of  the  first 
exportation  from  America  to  Great  Britain  in  1868,  the 
name  given  to  the  breed  by  Ameiican  fanciers.  So,  at 
least,  the  origin  of  the  name  can  be  claimed  by  America. 
But  by  American  breeders  can  be  made  the  greater  and 
more  substantial  claim  of  being  the  real  originators  of 
the  immensely  popular  and  distinctively  typical  and 
beautiful  White  and  Brown  Leghorns  of  the  present  day. 
They  received  the  crude  material  from  sunny  Italy  and 
started  the  refining  process  at  once;  and  in  the  early 
fifties  of  the  last  century,  fairly  good  types  of  both  brown 
and  white  varieties  were  seen  in  dififerent  localities  of 
New  England,  the  "cradle  of  the  American  fancy." 

Some  writers  of  the  past  claim  that  the  White  Leg- 
horn was  the  original  Leghorn  breed  from  which  all 
others  sprang;  other  writers  are  equally  positive  that  the 
Brown  Leghorn  v\:as  "on  deck"  ut  the  same  time,  and 
can  lay  equal  claim  to  being  the  progenitor  of  the  other 
varieties.  Claims  in  those  days  were  not  always  clinched 
by  facts,  and  we  must,  in  reading  over  the  conflicting 
testimony  of  breeders  of  White  and  Brown  Leghorns, 
take  some  of  their  statements  cum  grano  salis.  If  the 
old  timers  failed  to  agree  on  such  matters,  it  is  but 
reasonable  to  expect  that  some  of  our  present  day 
fanciers  will  be  of  the  same  mind.  To  the  practical- 
minded  breeder  it  makes  precious 
little  difference  which  variety  made 
its  debut  on  the  American  poultry 
stage  first.  One  is  as  good  as  the 
other,  and  both  are  splendid  examples 
of  the  American  breeder's  art  in  pro- 
ducing two  such  beautiful  and  useful 
varieties  of  fowl. 

The  origin  and  early  history  of 
any  race,  man  or  animal,  always 
proves  interesting,  even  if  the  alleged 
facts  bearing  on  such  leave  room  for 
doubt  in  the  mind  of  the  investigator 
and  chronicler  at  times.  In  presenting 
what  purport  to  be  facts  relating  to 
the  ejrly  history  of  the  Leghorn  fowl 
and  the  later  introduction  of  its  sub- 
varieties,  we  have  sifted,  as  much  as 
was  practical  for  the  purpose  of  the 
completeness  of  this  chapter,  what  we 
believad  to  be  the  substantial,  from 
the  imaginary  data,  at  our  disposal. 

In  the  "Poultry  World,"  Febru- 
ary, 1373,  I.  K.  Felch  contributed  the 
following  data  bearing  on  the  origin 
and  description  of  the  Leghorn  fowl: 


I  have  been,  ever  since  their  introduction  into  the 
country,  well  aware  of  the  merits  of  the  Leghorn  fowl. 
The  first  importation  of  these  fowls  was  made  into 
Mystic  River,  Conn.,  in  the  year  18SS;  and  they  were 
what  we  term  the  Brown  Leghorn.  The  nice  pure  brown 
of  their  breasts  was  very  peculiar,  and  also  very  beauti- 
ful in  color — in  fact,  so  much  so  that  I  sold  many  of  them 
to  the  taxidermists  for  their  feathers,  of  which  many  a 
crest  has  been  made  and  has  appeared  on  the  hat  of 
many  a  gentlewoman  as  she  passed  along  the  street,  hav- 
ing purchased  same  as  imported  feathers. 

The  hens  in  color  generally  present  reddish  brown, 
running  in  some  cases  into  pure  brown  color;  and  in 
weight  they  seldom  exceed  four  pounds,  while  an  average 
would  be  three  and  one-half  pounds.  While  young,  and 
before  commencing  their  first  litter  of  eggs,  they  resemble 
very  much  the  Derby  Game  hens,  their  comb  never  be- 
coming fully  developed  until  they  commence  to  lay,  when 
it  comes  out  a  pure  red  and  so  clear  that  the  reflection  of 
light  can  be  seen  through  it. 

Hens  whose  combs  stand  upright  are,  to  my  mind, 
preferable,  as  it  is  these  which  geneially  produce  the  most 
perfect  cock;  a  lopped-comb  cock  is  very  objectionable, 
and  if  your  breeding  hens  are  those  whose  combs  fall 
over  to  one  side  of  their  heads,  as  I  have  seen  them,  so  as 
to  cover  the  eye,  one  need  not  expect  to  breed  more  than 
one-half  the  cocks  with  upright  combs.  In  the  first  im- 
portation the  combs  were  so  large  as  to  be  a  great  de- 
formity. 

The  cocks  should  weigh  from  four  and  one-half  to 
five  pounds,  at  twelve  months  of  age,  and  never  exceed  it; 
and  in  color  they  should  be  identical  with  the  Black-Red 
Game.  I  regret  that  the  "Standard"  so  poorly  describes, 
or,  as  I  may  say,  fails  so  entirely  to  describe  it. 

The  beak  and  legs  should  be  yellow,  and  the  latter 
quite   short;   breast,  black   (splashes  of  brown   objection- 


FIRST 


THE   LEGHORNS 


able,  but  not  a  disqualification):  fluff  and  thighs  more  or 
less  brown-tinged;  wings,  reddish-brown;  tails  large,  full 
sickles  (well  curved  in  "Standard" — I  say  tolerably  well 
curved),  the  whole  tail  carried  upright.  It  is  not  an  un- 
common thing  to  see  a  good  cock,  when  strutting  about, 
have  his  comb  and  tail  meet  above  his  back.  The  back 
should  be  wide  and  short,  and  of  deep  red  or  mahogany 
color;  hackle  and  saddle  same  as  in  Black-Red  Game; 
head  and  face  small,  as  in  "Standard;"  and  I  am  afraid 
judges  are  attaching  too  much  importance  to  this,  and  like 
the  Black  Spanish,  they  will  sacrifice  the  whole  merit  to 
this  one  requirement.  I  fear  that  in  time  we  shall  see,  as 
in  the  Spanish,  degenerate  sons  of  noble  sires,  feebly  con- 
tending for  prizes,  and  striving  to  sustain  a  race  whose 
glory  is  found  in  the  past.  In  or  about  1858  we  had  the 
White  Leghorn  with  white  legs,  which  was  known  as  the 
Lord  importation.  Later,  in  1863,  we  had  what  was  known 
as  the  Stetson  importation,  which  was  white  in  plumage, 
with  yellow  beak  and  legs.  In  weight,  like  the  brown  va- 
riety, the  hens  average  354  pounds,  the  cocks  from  4^/^  to 
S  pounds,  the  latter,  however,  being  seldom  reached. 
These  fowls  as  egg  producers,  in  their  original  perfection, 
were  truly  marvelous.  I  have  known  of  a  hen  of  this  last 
importation  that  laid  159  days  in  succession,  and  have  the 
assertion  of  a  friend  that  one  laid  275  eggs  in  one  year; 
but  the  largest  number  which  I  know  of  personally  and 
which  I  deem  very  extraordinary,  was  250.  An  average, 
in  my  experience,  has  been  from  175  to  200  eggs.  With 
good  care  200  eggs  need  not  be  despaired  of. 

The  combs  of  all  three  of  these  varieties  were  the 
same,  and  not  at  all  like  the  Black  Spanish.  In  many  cuts 
published  of  late,  one  sees  them  with  combs  of  a  Spanish 
shape.  This  is  wrong  in  itself,  and  leads  many  an  amateur 
astray.  A  Leghorn  has  rarely  but  five  points  to  his  comb, 
— two  double-pointed  serratures  and  three  single  ones, 
and  cut  very  deep  down  into  it.  The  shape,  once  seen, 
cannot  be  mistaken,  and  therefore  needs  no  fuller  descrip- 
tion by  me.  In  the  early  importations  these  combs  grew 
to  an  enormous  size.  I  have  seen  young  cocks  with  such 
combs  and  wattles  that  they  were  unable  to  hold  up  their 
heads.  I  killed  a  cock  so  troubled,  his  whole  live  weight 
being  Syi  pounds,  and  his  head,  comb  and  wattles  weigh- 
ing 19  ounces — as  nearly  one-third  his  weight  as  could 
well  be.  They  have  smaller  combs  now,  which  I  cannot 
but  hail  for  the  better. 

The  Brown  Leghorn  Standard  referred  to  by  Mr. 
Felch  above,  gives  the  following  description  of  the  breed: 

The  Cock 

Comb — bright  red,  large,  erect,  single,  straight,  and 
free  from  twists  or  falling  over  to  either  side,  deeply  ser- 
rated, extending  well  back  over  the  head  and  free  from 
side  sprigs  or  excrescences.  Legs — bright  yellow.  Breast 
— Black,  splashed  with  brown.  Wings — Reddish  brown. 
Tail — large,  full,  sickle  well  curved.  Face — bright  red, 
free  from  wrinkles  or  folds.  Ear-lobes — Pure  opaque, 
white,  rather  pendant,  thin,  and  close  fitting  to  the  head, 
smooth  and  free  from  wrinkles. 

The  Hen 

Head — brown.  Neck — light  yellowish  brown,  striped 
with  black.  Back  and  shoulder  coverts — brown.  Wing 
bow,  shoulder  primaries  and  secondaries — ^brown.  Tail — 
dark  brown,  approaching  black.  Breast,  deep  salmon, 
shading  off  to  ashy  brown  toward  the  thighs.  Thighs — 
ashy  brown.     Legs — to  match  those  of  cock. 

Points  in  Brown  Leghorns 

Size   IS 

Comb   20 

Face  and  Ear-lobe   20 

Color  of  Plumage   20 

Symmetry    15 

Condition    10 

Disqualifications   in   Brown    Leghorns 
Legs,  other  than  yellow;  comb  lopping  over  in  cock; 
prick-comb   on   hen;   red    deaf-ear;   white   feathers    in   any 
part  of  the  plumage. 

This  Standard  was  about  as  crude  and  incomplete  as 
the  breed  itself  at  that  time.  The  first  official  American 
Standard  of  Excellence  issued  by  the  American  Poultry 
Association  in  1874,  howevtr,  gives  a  far  better  and  more 


complete  description  of  Brown  Leghorns;  also  giving  the 
first  scale  of  points  based  upon  the  100-point  system, 
adopted  by  the  Association  at  its  annual  meeting  held  at 
Buffalo,  New  York,  January  15th  to  18th,  1874. 

Not  long  after  Mr.  Felch  A^rote  his  introductory  Leg- 
horn article,  other  writers  began  to  air  their  knowledge 
on  the  subject  and  dispute  the  Felch  claims.  In  the  No- 
vember "Poultry  World,"  1873,  a  correspondent  who 
signed  himself  "B.  Leghorn"  remarked: 

I  cannot  agree  with  Mr.  Felch  in  regard  to  the  Leg- 
horns. In  the  first  place,  I  cannot  agree  with  him  that  so 
long  ago  as  1855  they  were  known  or  recognized  as  a  dis- 
tinct breed.  I  am  well  aware  that  fowls  of  all  shades 
have  been  imported  into  this  country  under  the  name  of 
Leghorns,  which  had  no  title  whatever  to  the  designation, 
except  the  bare  fact  that  they  came  from  the  vicinity  of 
the  city  bearing,  that  name. 

I'hey  do  not  appear  to  have  been  recognized  by  any 
of  the  poultry  authorities  of  Europe  as  a  distinct  breed, 
until  long  after  they  had  been  bred  and  perfected  in  this 
country;  since  which  time  they  have  only  been  recognized 
as  an  American  breed.  It  would  appear  to  be  a  very  re-- 
markable  oversight  on  the  part  of  those  who  have  brought 
poultry  fancying  to  its  present  status  in  England,  to  have 
passed  by  so  valuable  a  variety,  or  to  be  ignorant  of  its 
existence.  Some  years  ago,  Mr.  Brent,  a  celebrated 
poultry  breeder  and  judge,  now  deceased,  wrote  as  fol- 
lows in  relation  to  the  Spanish  fowl:  "I  am  at  a  loss  to 
understand  why  only  one  variety  of  this  breed  is  patron- 
ized, seeing  there  are  others.  I  think  it  but  justice  that 
this  breed  should  have  as  many  classes  as  any  other  breed. 
I  would  give  them  four  classes, — Black  Spanish,  White 
Spanish,  Blue  Spanish,  and  any  other  variety  of  Spanish." 
If  this  means  anything,  it  most  assuredly  recognizes  a 
large  class  of  fowls  of  various  colors  which  would  be 
classed  under  the  name  of  Spanish.  There  is  no  doubt 
that  the  White  Leghorns  now  so  celebrated  in  this  coun- 
try, were  originally  identical  with  the  White  Spanish 
which  have  been  known  in  England. 

Mr.  Tegetmeier  also  says:  "The  geographical  names 
by  which  the  majority  of  the  different  breeds  of  our  do- 
mestic poultry  are  at  present  known  to  us  are  un- 
questionably erroneous.  But  with  Spanish  the  case 
appears  somewhat  different.  All  along  the  Mediterranean, 
from  Gibraltar  to  Syria,  the  countries  that  border  on  that 
vast  inland  sea  abound  with  fowls  that  bear  so  close  a 
resemblance  to  the  Spanish  race  as  may  warrant  our  as- 
signing them  to  one  common  stock.  Purity  of  breed, 
however,  is  but  little  esteemed;  nevertheless,  with  those 
who  have  examined  with  any  care  the  natural  history  of 
this  section  of  gallinaceous  birds,  little  hesitation  would 
be  felt  as  to  the  extreme  probability  of  a  common 
descent." 

It  seems  to  me  that  statements  like  these  from  gentle- 
men who  are  recognized  authorities  in  poultry  matters, 
ought  to  set  at  rest  any  claim  to  the  Leghorns  as  a 
distinct  European  breed.  The  birds  mentioned  by  Mr. 
Felch  as  having  been  imported  in  1855  and  1858,  were 
undoubtedly  selected  from  these  mongrels  spot  en  of  by 
Mr.  Tegetmeier,  and  from  them  has  arisen  tho  Brown 
Leghorn  of  our  day,  so  widely  known  as  an  /vmerican 
breed. 

So  much  for  the  history  of  this  variety.  Now  let  us 
follow  Mr.  Felch  in  his  description  of  this  breed.  In  the 
opening  of  his  oaper  he  says:  "The  nice  pure  brown  of 
their  breasts  (speaking  of  the  hen)  being  very  peculiar;" 
and  again;  "The  hens  in  color  generally  present  teddish 
brown,  running  in  some  cases  to  pure  brown."  This  may 
possibly  answer  for  the  early  importations,  but  the  learer 
the  color  of  both  cock  and  hen  approaches  the  color  of 
Black-Red  Games,  the  more  highly  are  they  prized  ly  our 
best  breeders.  In  regard  to  the  comb  of  the  hen,  he  says: 
"Hens,  whose  combs  stand  upright  are,  to  my  mind 
preferable,  as  it  is  these  which  generally  produce  the  most 
perfect  cocks."  Believing,  as  I  have  always  believec,  that 
the  Leghorns,  both  Brown  and  White,  are  Spanish  in  their 
origin,  I  entertain  the  opinion  that  the  same  rule  which 
would  apply  in  judging  Spanish,  would  apply  also  to  them 
(the  Leghorns). 

Mr.  Hewett,  the  best  known  poultry  judge,  says:  "In 
Spanish  hens  the  combs  should  lap  in  front,  and  fall  over 
sideways."     The   erect  comb,  called  a  prick-comb,  which 


THE   LEGHORNS 


our  friend  prefers,  is  laid  down  in  the  English  and  Amer- 
ican Standards  as  a  disqualification,  and  will  not  in  all 
probability  find  much  favor  with  the  Leghorn  fanciers.  In 
another  part  of  his  paper  he  says  in  regard  to  the  tail  of 
the  cock:  "It  is  not  an  uncommon  thing  to  see  a  good 
cock,  when  strutting  about,  have  his  comb  and  tail  meet 
above  his  back."  Here  again  he  is  at  fault,  for  if  he  will 
turn  his  attention  to  the  general  description  of  shape  of 
the  Spanish  class  in  the  English  or  American  Standard, 
he  will  discover  that  the  tail  of  the  cock  must  not  be 
carried  over  the  back,  or  be  "squirrel-tailed."  In  relation  to 
the  legs,  I  think  it  a  mistake  to  put  too  much  stress  on 
shortness;  I  should  prefer  to  have  them  long  enough  to 
prevent  a  squatty  appearance.  I  shall  most  cheerfully 
agree  with  him  in  what  he  says  in  regard  to  size,  not  only 
in  relation  to  the  Leghorn,  but  also  in  relation  to  the 
Brahma,  in  a  former  paper  on  that  breed,  for  I  honestly 
believe  that  some  of  our  most  valuable  breeds  have  been 
utterly  ruined  in  tlie  strife  for  weight,  and  I  am  rejoiced 
to  see  that  a  reaction  is  about  to  take  place. 

I  regret  to  feel  obliged  to  be  thus  critical  in  my  re- 
marks, and  I  wish  it  to  be  understood  that  I  do  so  with 
the  kindest  feeling  toward  my  friend,  Mr.  Felch,  for 
whom  I  entertain  the  greatest  respect,  and  to  whom,  as 
well  as  to  his  brother,  the  poultry  world  is  so  largely  in- 
debted for  their  labors  in  perfecting  one  of  our  most  valu- 
able breeds. 

The  belief  expressed  by  the  above  writer  that  both 
White  and  Brown  Leghorns  are  of  Spanish  aucestry  was 
shared  by  many  others  at  that  period,  but  others  were 
firm  in  their  belief  that  Brown  Leghorns  were  distinct 
from  White  Leghorns  in  their  ancestry,  the  supposition 
being  that  they  were  made  by  crossing  the  Black  Breasted 
Red  Game  with  the  so-called  "Brown  Italiens"  that  came 
to  our  shores  from  Italy.  The  more  slender  limbed  and 
longer  bodied  White  Leghorns  at  that  early  period  were 
often  white  in  shanks  and  in  carriage  and  head  points  re- 
sembled the  Spanish  fowl.  The  fact  that  White  Leghorns 
lay  larger  white  eggs  than  the  Browns,  and  the  tendency 
in  the  earlier  strains  to  show  considerable  white  in  the 
face  of  the  males,  add  much  weight  to  the  statement  that 
they  are  lineal  descendants  of  the  ancient  Spanish  race  of 
fowl.  The  smaller  and  occasionally  tinted  eggs  laid  by 
Brown  Leghorns  indicate  the  same  cross,  although  we 
believe  Spanish  blood  was  also  used  in  the  early  construc- 
tion period  of  this  breed,  especially  for  the  purpose  of 
obtaining  the  white  ear-lobes.  Up  to  1865  Leghorns  were 
shown  as  Spanish  fowls,  and  it  was  through  the  efforts  of 
I.  K.  Felch  that  they  were  finally  properly  classified,  as 
will  be  seen  by  reading  his  statement  published  in  the 
"Poultry  World,"  November  1873: 

It  will  be  a  hard  fact  for  soime,  but  if  the  truth  must 
be  spoken.  Leghorns  have  not  been  allowed  to  be  exhib- 
ited as  such  until  since  1865. 

At  the  first  exhibition  of  the  Worcester  Poultry  Club 
(which  all  know  to  be  the  pioneer  of  all  poultry  societies 
in  the  United  States),  Mr.  Houghton,  Mr.  Childs,  and 
myself,  were  forced  to  enter  out  Leghorns  as  Spanish 
fowls.  We  did  so  under  protest.  On  the  second  day. 
Mr.  Flint,  then  secretary  of  the  Massachusetts  Board  of 
Agriculture,  was  present,  and  we  carried  our  case  before 
him.  And  these  were  the  arguments  we  used  to  show  why 
we  should  not  be  compelled  to  exhibit  them  as  Spanish. 
We  claimed: 

1st.  That  our  birds  did  not  have  as  long  legs  in  pro- 
portion to  their  bodies  as  the  Spanish  did,  and  that  the 
legs  were  vellow  in  color. 

2nd.  That  they  were  different  in  shape,  their  combs 
being  coarsely  serrated. 

3rd.  That  their  faces  were  red,  and  also  the  earlobes, 
and  not  white  like  the  Spanish. 

Mr.  Flint  was  disposed  to  favor  us,  and,  at  the  next 
exhibition,  the  Club  received  them  as  Leghorn  fowls.  Mr. 
Flint  was  then  managing  the  "New  England  Farmer," 
and  during  that  year  I,  with  others,  wrote  articles  upon 
the  subject,  which  were  published  in  that  paper  during 
the  winter,  I  think,  of  1865.  In  writing  upon  poultry,  I 
say:    "Tell  the  truth  and  shame  the  devil." 


Mr.  Felch,  a  few  months  after,  made  the  followinij 
reply  to  "B.  Leghorn's"  criticisms  of  his  first  communica- 
tion on  the  origin  of  the  breed,  in  the  "Poultry  World": 

I  cannot  see  anything  which  should  make  me  change 
my  base;  but  I  can  see,  as  he  did,  how  incomplete  rny 
article  was,  which  compels  me  to  answer  him.  And  in 
answering  the  first  twenty-one  lines  of  his  article,  I  will 
say  that  the  date  1855,  in  my  article,  was  a  misprint,  and 
that  it  was  in  1853  that  the  first  Brown  Leghorns  came 
into  the  country;  and  that  the  Brown  Leghorns  of  today, 
in  color  of  plumage  and  purity  of  blood,  and  as  breeders 
of  type  and  feather,  are  not  one  whit  ahead  of  them.  The 
only  difference  is,  that  the  Leghorns  of  today  are  larger. 
The  fact  that  since  they  have  come  into  public  notice, 
others  have  imported  specimens  that  have,  in  each  in- 
stance, bred  true  to  form  and  feather,  should  be  proof- 
positive  to  every  reader  that  they  have  some  pretensions 
as  a  breed  at  home;  and  it  is  a  fact  (to  speak  from  my 
own  experience,  of  which  I  do  not  guess),  that  these 
fowls  have  always,  since  1858,  been  bred  and  known  as 
Leghorns-  by  the  breeders.  Childs  and  Houghton,  of 
Worcester,  and  myself,  well  know  that  the  reason  they 
were  not  generally  known  to  the  public  was  because  there 
were  no  poultry  exhibitions  in  the  country,  after  their 
advent,  until  1864,  and  at  the  show  in  Worcester  that 
year  we  were  compelled  to  exhibit  them  as  Spanish,' which 
we  did  under  protest.  On  the  second  dav  of  the  fair,  Mr. 
Flint,  then  secretary  of  the  Massachusetts  Board  of  Agri- 
culture, was  present,  and  we  appealed  to  him,  and  the 
characteristics  of  the  Leghorns,  in  comparison  to  the 
Spanish,  were  discussed;  and  it  was  there  they  were  first 
acknowledged  publicly  as  Leghorns,  all  conceding  that 
the  two  breeds  were  different  in  form  and  plumage  and 
general  characteristics. 

In  answer  to  the  next  two-thirds  of  a  column,  I  ask, 
is  it  any  the  less  strange  that  English  people  should  fail 
to  know  the  existence  of  the  Leghorn  breed?  America 
failed  to  appreciate  the  Silver-penciled  Hamburgs  until 
they  had  been  long  bred  in  England,  and  came  across  the 
Atlantic  as  "Bolton  Grays,"  as  was  the  fact  in  the  case  of 
the  first  importations.  His  argument  seems  to  be  that 
Ijecause  England  failed  to  recognize  the  Leghorns,  there- 
fore no  Leghorns  could  exist, — which  seems  to  imply  an 
inveterate  prejudice  in  favor  of  England,  amounting  to  a 
conviction  in  his  mind,  that  "no  good  can  come  out  of 
America."  I,  for  one,  am  willing  to  excuse  Mr.  Tegetmeier 
from  writing  of  the  Leghorn,  when,  at  the  time  he  wrote, 
the  breed  had  not  come  to  notice,  either  in  England  or 
America. 

In  reference  to  Mr.  Tegetmeier's  "mongrels,"  I  have 
fully  answered  above.  I  believe  that  they  were  a  breed 
when  they  came  to  our  shores..  In  answer  to  his  remarks 
about  hens  with  upright  combs,  I  will  say  that,  perhaps, 
in  my  article  to  which  he  refers,  I  was  not  particular 
enough  in  my  meaning.  I  do  not  think  the  poultry  fan- 
ciers of  New  England  would  believe  me  foolish  enough 
to  try  to  win  a  prize  on  hens  with  upright  combs.  I 
assert  that  a  strain  of  White  Leghorns  which  will  produce 
ten  per  cent,  of  the  pullets  with  upright  combs,  will  pro- 
duce cocks,  ninety  per  cent,  of  which  shall  possess  combs 
which  stand  straight  on  their  heads,  and  are  consequently 
marketable.  I  also  assert  that  a  strain  which  produces 
hens,  all  of  which  have  thin  combs  lying  flat  over  the 
side  of  their  heads,  as  spoken  of  in  the  October  number 
of  the  "World,"  by  me,  will  produce  at  least  forty  per 
cent,  of  the  cocks  whose  combs  will  lop  before  they  arc 
even  twelve  months  old.  In  the  one  case,  gentlemen,  you 
have  forty  per  cent,  of  disqualified  birds;  in  the  other, 
twenty  per  cent.  Now,  which  strain  will  you  prefer?  I 
still  say,  the  hen  whose  comb  is  inclined  to  be  upright  is 
sure  to  be  the  best  breeder;  and  the  experience  of  ten 
years  breeding  them,  has  made  me  believe  it.  A  cock  with 
a  lopped  comb  is  as  much  disqualified  as  a  hen  with  an 
erect  comb,  and,  in  value,  is  worse  off;  for  no  good  breeder 
would  use  the  cock,  while  he  would  the  hen. 

As  to  the  "squirrel-tail"  spoken  of  by  him,  he  should 
have  understood  that  I  was  writing  about  the  Brown  Leg- 
horns as  I  first  saw  them.  They  were,  in  carriage,  much 
like   Bantams. 

I  agree  with  "B.  Leghorn"  as  to  the  color  most  de- 
sired, and  heartily  accept  a  little  more  length  of  leg, 
which  does  much  to  destroy  the  Bantam  appearance  of 
which  I  have  spoken.     I  should  be  glad  to  meet  and  know 


10 


THE  LEGHORNS 


the  writer,  and  can  assure  him  a  cordial  welcome  if  he 
will  call  on  me. 

It  was  left  for  Frank  J.  Kinney,  however,  to  give  the 
Brown  Leghorn  a  boost  that  even  some  of  the  modern 
poultry  boomers  would  view  with  envy  as  well  as  admira- 
tion. Mr.  Kinney's  remarks  appeared  in  the  "Poultry 
World,"  December,  1873.  We  reprint  them  without  further 
comment,  to-wit: 

A  great  deal  is  being  said  about  this  comparatively 
new  breed.  I  claim  to  have  owned  the  first  that  were  ever 
landed  in  America,  having  bought,  on  ship  in  Boston 
harbor,  in  June,  1853,  two  hens  and  one  cock,  about  one 
year  old,  the  trio  weighing  13;4  pounds.  They  were  very 
handsome  and  very  different  from  any  poultry  I  had 
ever  seen,  and  I  liked  them,  but  objected  to  the  small 
size  of  their  bodies  and  the  large  size  of  their  combs  and 
wattles,  and  I  commenced  immediately  to  increase  the 
one  and  diminish  the  other,  by  selecting  the  largest  hens 
and  the  broadest,  lowest  cocks,  with  the  smallest  combs 
and  finest  wattles,  to  breed  from.  And  by  following  this 
course  for  a  long  series  of  years,  I  have  succeeded  in 
breeding  hens  that  weigh  from  4j4  to  6'A  pounds,  and 
cocks  that  weigh  from 
SJ4  to  7y2  pounds.  I 
have  kept  strict  ac- 
count with  my  fowls 
from  the  beginning, 
and  can,  by  comparing 
figures,  see  no  differ- 
ence in  the  time  of 
their  maturing  and 
commencing  to  lay. 
Some  commence  when 
three  and  a  half  months 
old,  and  none  com- 
mence older  than  five 
months.  I  could  give 
figures  in  cases  where 
I  have  "timed" — if  you 
please — twenty-five  pul- 
ets  nearly  every  year 
for  the  last  seven  years, 
and  a  less  number  of 
them  for  the  last  twen- 
ty years,  were  it  neces- 
sary. 
The  best  I  have  ever  done,  was  the  past  year.  I  had 
a  large  number  hatched  out  the  9th  of  -August,  1872,  and 
selected  twenty-five  pullets,  to  whom  I  gave  an  extra  run, 
and  moderate  feed  for  five  months,  when  they  commenced 
laying  the  9th  of  January,  1873.  These  twenty-five  hens 
laid,  up  to  the  9th  of  August,  1873,  3,750  eggs,  or  150  each; 
their  average  weight  is  5^  pounds,  and  they  will  lay, 
before  the  9th  of  August,  1874,  240  eggs  more  each,  sup- 
posing they  are  properly  fed  and  cared  for,  and  they  will 
lay  as  many  every  year  for  four  or  five  years  at  least. 
These  hens  are  constantly  and  closely  confined,  except  a 
few  weeks  in  moulting  time.  We  carry  the  out-of-doors 
to  them — all  they  cannot  get  through  glass  and  slats — 
the  rest  of  the  year.  We  had  yards  of  twenty  three-year- 
old  hens  last  year  that  aveiaged  240  eggs  to  the  hen,  about 
100  more  than  the  same  strain  laid  six  years  ago,  when 
they  were  a  pound  lighter  to  the  hen  and  had  not  got 
used  to  being  forced. 

At  another  time  I  will  give  my  experience  and  views 
on  the  subject  of  forcing  poultry. 

I  have  traveled  a  large  extent  of  country  in  my  day, 
and  have  seen  a  great  many  hens  that  deserve  to  be  re- 
ported in  the  papers.  I  can  call  to  mind  instances  in 
many  states,  where  honest  farmers  have  pointed  out  hens 
to  me,  saying:  "That  is  a  wonderful  hen;  she  is  as  old  as 
my  second  gal,  and  has  allers  laid  and  never  sot;  is  more 
than  ten  years  old;"  or,  "There  is  a  hen  as  old  as  Jane, 
and  she  is  twenty  years  old,"  etc.  One  man  in  Canter- 
bury, N.  H.,  killed  a  hen  on  the  twenty-first  birthday  of 
an  adopted  son,  and  the  hen  was  "older  than  the  boy,  and 
had  allers  laid  up  tew  last  year,  and  now  she  had  got  so 
fat,  was  just  good  for  nothing  at  all."  These  hens  were 
barn-yard  fowls,  and  of  all  colors,  but  uniformly  low, 
square,  substantially-built  fowls. 

I  have  never  seen  a  very  gamy-looking  hen,  or  an 
Asiatic,  that  was  a  good  laying  hen  very  long — not  many 


years.  We  had  one  hen,  old  "Red  Ribbon,"  that  laid  over 
2,200  eggs,  and  died  at  the  age  of  nine  years  and  three 
months  from  breaking  an  egg  internally.  She  was  as 
healthy-looking  a  hen  as  any  in  my  yards  at  the  time,  and, 
as  near  as  I  could  judge,  might  have  laid  for  years  longer 
but  for  the  accident.  "Signora,"  now  in  my  yards,  is  six 
years  old  and  has  laid  over  1,300  eggs.  I  have  one  hun- 
dred and  more  chicks  in  my  yards,  hatched  from  eggs 
laid  by  pullets  which  were  raised  this  year;  have  chickens 
(November  13th)  three  months  old,  hatched  from  eggs 
laid  by  pullets  that  were  hatched  from  eggs  laid  by  "Sig- 
nora" after  the  Sth  of  March,  1873.  The  old  hen,  when  in 
condition,  weighs  6]4  pounds;  said  pullets  commenced 
laying  before  they  were  3^  months  old,  and  weigh,  as 
pullets,  more  than  4J4  pounds. 

Mr.  I.  K.  Felch  may  have  his  Leghorns  "at  an  average 
weight  of  3^  pounds  as  fowls  and  resembling,  while 
young,  and  before  commencing  to  lay,  the  Derby  Game, 
with  cocks  never  to  exceed  5  pounds  each,  and  identical 
in  color  with  the  Black-Red  Game,"  if  he  pleases.  I  prefer 
pullets  that  resemble  good  Brown  Leghorns — Standard 
fowls — and  weigh  1^  to  2  pounds  more  than  his,  and 
cocks  that  resemble  good  Standard  Brown  Leghorn  cocks 
and  weigh  6  to  7  pounds.  It  seems  to  me  to  be  not  at  all 
in  order  to  compare  Brown  Leghorns  with  Games.  One 
might  as  well  compare  Black  Hamburgs  with  Black 
Cochins. 

I.  K.  Felch,  in  his  most  vigorous  and  characteristic 
style,  replied  to  Mr.  Kinney's  criticisms  and  incidentally 
riddled  the  latter's  extravagant  claims  of  the  wonderful 
egg  records  made  by  Brown  Leghorns,  in  the  following 
number  of  the  "Poultry  World,"  as  follows: 

I  have  read  Mr.  J.  F.  Kinney's  articles  on  Brown  Leg- 
horns in  the  June  and  September  issues  of  the  "Bulletin" 
and  the  December  issue  of  the  "Poultry  World,"  and  have 
several  times  been  asked  by  correspondents  and  friends 
to  answer  him.  Not  wishing  fo  go  into  any  controversy, 
I  desisted.  But  in  the  last-mentioned  article  he  chooses 
to  refer  to  me  in  a  sarcastic  way,  which  would,  to  one  not 
used  to  the  breed,  give  a  false  impression;  viz.,  that  I  was 
breeding  Brown  Leghorns  not  true  to  their  type.  This 
and  the  tall  statements  he  makes,  and  the  braggadocio 
style  in  which  he  does  it,  I  must  confess,  have  irritated 
me  enough  to  call  forth  this  reply. 

Mr.  Kinney  tells  us  he  has  the  only  white  ear-lobed 
strain  in  the  world;  yet  he  tells  us  that  he  has  read  "with 
pleasure"  an  article  on  the  ear-lobes  of  Brown  Leghorns 
in  the  "Bulletin"  of  December,  1872. 

I  presume  that  which  pleased  him  most  in  that  article 
was,  that  the  "writer's  experience,  and  that  of  Mr. 
Wheeler,  or  Worcester,  Mr.  Beard,  of  Nashua,  N.  H.,  and 
Mr.  Jacob  Graves,  of  Boston,  was  that  not  one-twentieth 
part  of  all  the  Brown  Leghorns  had  white  ear-lobes,  and 
that  of  the  twentieth  part  of  them  that  had,  three-fourths 
were  very  defective  in  plumage;"  and  as  Mr.  Wheeler  is 
a  neighbor  of  Mr.  Kinney,  he  ought  to  know  whereof  he 
speaks.  As  regards  the  article  alluded  to,  I  myself  call  it 
a  good  and  truthful  one.  The  writer  also  says:  "If  we, 
to  attain  this  one  point,  are  to  sacrifice  the  rich,  beautiful 
black  breast,  elegant  striped  hackle,  and  handsome 
shoulder  coverts  and  wing-bar,  which  are  certainly  of 
more  importance,  what  have  we  gained?"  So  much  for 
what  pleases  him  to  read. 

He  tells  us  in  his  first  article  ("Bulletin"  for  June") 
that  he  had  the  first  Brown  Leghorns  that  came  to  this 
country  and  that  their  ear-lobes  were  entirely  red,  and 
that  the  next  two  importations  he  made  were  like  the 
others.  He  also  says  they  were  not  Black  Red  Leghorns, 
but  Brown  Red.  In  1866,  he  says  he  had  a  hen  from  Leg- 
horns with  white  ear-lobes.  But  before  he  states  this  fact, 
he  speaks  of  an  advertisement  in  1864,  of  Brown  Leghorns 
with  white  ear-lobes,  and  goes  on  to  tell  how  they  prob- 
ably came  about,  giving  the  impression  that  those  adver- 
tised were  not  pure  in  blood.  Was  this  gentlemanly  and 
honorable,  or,  reader,  do  you  call  it  a  stab  in  the  back  as 
regards  its  influence  upon  the  reputation  of  the  advertiser? 
In  the  same  article  he  tells  of  a  hen  imported  in  1866, 
having  a  small  comb,  which,  crossed  with  his,  produced 
fowls,  in  a  few  generations,  that  weighed  eight  pounds. 
Following  this,  he  says  he  breeds  for  profit,  and  does  not 
propose  to  sacrifice  twenty  years  of  labor  in  the  perfection 
of  his  fowls,  because  young  breeders  want  things  gamy, 


THE  LEGHORNS 


11 


and  says  they  can  have  Brown  Leghorns  like  Black  Red 
Games  "by  crossing  with  that  breed.  But  the  time  will 
come  when  breeders  will  know  the  difference  between 
crosses  and  thoroughbred  stock." 

Here  I  leave  his  first  article  to  review  his  second, 
which  is  found  in  the  "Bulletin"  of  September,  1873;  and 
almost  the  first  thing  he  tells  you  is  that  "he  has  learned 
how  to  mate  his  fowls  so  as  to  retain  the  beautiful  pencil- 
ings  in  the  hens  and  produce  black-breasted  cocks,  or 
mottled-breasted,  as  six  hundred  chickens  in  his  yard  will 
show."  If  I  were  in  his  place,  I  should  suppose  people 
would  very  naturally  think  there  had  been  an  introduction 
of  a  Brown  Red  Game  cock,  in  accordance  with  the 
advice  of  Article  I.  But  again  he  seems  to  forget  himself, 
and  tells  I.  K.  Felch,  in  the  "Poultry  World,"  he  "mav 
have  his  Black  Red  Games,"  and  that  one  may  "as  well 
compare  Black  Hamburgs  with  Black  Cochins  as  to  com- 
pare Brown  Leghorns  with  Black  Red  Games."  Wonder- 
ful consistency! 

His  peculiar  forcing  system  he  should  give  to  the 
world,  for  he  says  he  can  make  his  fowls  weigh  two 
pounds  more  than  the  farmer  can  with  "good  farmer's 
care."  This  may  account  for  his  eight-pound  cock;  this 
may  also  account  for  his  strain  weighing  two  pounds 
more  than  any  strain  of  Brown  Leghorns  I  ever  saw. 

But  wonders  do  not  cease  here.  Old  Red  Ribbon! 
Who  of  my  readers  ever  before  heard  of  a  hen  which,  in 
eight  years  and  ten  months,  laid  the  marvelous  number  of 
2,200  eggs?  And  who  before  ever  heard  of  a  breeder 
chalking  down  every  egg  a  hen  laid  for  nearly  nine  years? 
Two  hundred  and  forty-one  eggs  each  year  for  eight  years 
and  ten  months  of  the  laying  life  of  a  hen!  But  Mr.  Kin- 
ney must  have  forgotten  one  item,  or  else  is  reserving  it 
for  a  further  surprise  for  the  poultry  breeders  of  America, 
viz:  the  number  of  eggs  "Old  Red  Ribbon"  laid  in  her 
most  productive  year.  According  to  the  ratio  of  produc- 
tion by  other  fowls,  it  could  not  be  less  than  four  hun- 
dred. Was  the  account  in  his  "Poultry  World"  article  of 
these  old  hens  among  the  farmers,  from  ten  to  twenty- 
one  years  old,  a  dish  served  up  as  an  appetizer,  that  his 
readers  might  swallow  his  statistics  in  relation  to  Old 
Red  Ribbon?  Unless  he  tells  us  who  collected  the  eggs 
from  Old  Red  Ribbon  and  Signora  while  he  was  "travel- 
ing over  that  large  extent  of  country"  he  speaks  of,  or 
presents  for  inspection  the  original  entries  of  the  ac- 
count, he  must  excuse  me  for  doubting  the  account,  or 
kind  o'  thinking  Old  Red  Ribbon  might  be  like  a  hen  that 
was  owned  by  a  boy  who  used  to  live  with  an  uncle  of  mine, 
who  was  wont  to  assert  that  he  had  seen  twelve  eggs  laid 
by  that  hen  with  shells  colored  seven  different  shades. 
Now,  it  was  hard  work  for  my  uncle  not  to  believe  that 
six  of  his  hens  helped  that  hen  lay  those  twelve  eggs;  but 
the  boy  saw  his  hen  lay  them  all,  and,  as  he  was  a  boy  of 
truth,  he  had  to  believe  that  the  hen  laid  different  colored 
eggs. 

In  conclusion,  if  Mr.  Kinney's  fowls  are  all  he  repre- 
sents them  to  be,  what  occasion  has  he  to  pull  down  his 
neighbor's  house  that  he  may  build  a  barn?  But  he  does 
this:  First,  by  attempting  to  establish  his  strain  as  the 
only  one  of  white  ear-lobes,  and  then  throwing  suspicion 
on  his  neighbor,  who  in  his  very  article  he  acknowledges 
advertised  two  years  he  shows  that  he  received  his  white 
ear-lobed  hen,  from  which  he  commenced  to  breed  into 
his  stock  this  characteristic.  Second,  by  asserting  that  he 
can  grovv  these  very  chicks  two  pounds  larger  than  his 
neighboring  farmers  can  with  good  care,  by  some  hidden 
process  of  forcing,  which,  if  true,  is  all  right;  but  is  it 
likely  that  size  can,  in  a  short  time,  be  increased  fifty  per 
cent?  Thirdly,  by  the  publication  of  marvelous  produc- 
tions of  eggs,  which  may  best  be  dismissed  with  the  navy 
saying:  "Tell  that  to  the  horse-marines;  the  sailors  won't 
believe  it."  Fourthly,  by  misconstruction  and  use  of  per- 
sonalities in  comparing  the  writing  of  others  with  that 
of  his  own  in  relation  to  the  merits  of  his  fowls;  all  of 
which  will  lead  the  unthinking  novice  in  breeding  to  come 
to  his  net. 

I  do  not  care  a  straw  for  his  allusion  to  what  I  said 
of  Brown  Leghorns  as  they  were  in  earlier  days.  I  do 
not  now  breed  Brown  Leghorns,  and  I  do  not  cry  out  be- 
cause he  is  in  any  way  mjunng  my  business.  But  when 
people  write  of  poultry,  I  like  to  see  it  done  with  some 
degree  of  fairness.  But,  closing,  I  will  say  I  do  not  want 
a,  Leghorn,  be  it  White  or  Brown,  as  large  as  a  Brahma, 
or  a  cock  that  has  Golden  Hamburg  plumage. 


In  September,  1875,  the  "Poultry  World"  puilished  a 
letter  written  by  O.  H.  Peck,  of  Franklin,  Mass.,  which 
contained  the  following  statements  regarding  the  first 
importations  of  "Leghorns"  in  America: 

For  a  year  past  there  have  appeared  in  "The  Poultry 
World"  quite  a  number  of  articles  on  the  origin  of  Brown 
Leghorn  fowls.  The  articles  in  question  having  been 
written  by  eminent  breeders  of  said  variety,  it  may  appear 
presumptions  in  me  to  attempt  to  add  anything  to  what 
has  already  been  said;  but  with  your  kind  permission,  I 
will  state  that  about  forty  yeai  s  ago,  Mr.  N.  O.  Ward,  of 
Fulton  Street,  New  York  City  (the  then  celebrated 
cracker  baker)  received  a  few  of  these  fowls  as  a  present, 
direct  from  Leghorn.  This  is,  I  think,  the  first  record  we 
have  of  them  in  America.  The  eggs  from  these  fowls  were 
distributed  among  his  friends,  one  of  whom  was  Mr.  J.  C. 
Thompson,  of  Tompkinsville,  Staten  Island — once  an 
eminent  poultry  raiser,  now  deceased.  Mr.  Thompson 
writes  as  follows: 

"I  raised  from  six  eggs,  five  cocks  and  one  pullet.  The 
size  of  the  comb  and  wattles   of  that   lot  exceeded  any- 


s    t    white:  leghorns  oi    c     \.    pitki\    is  3 


thing  I  have  ever  seen  since.  The  length  of  the  combs 
(actual  measurement)  was  six  inches.  The  comb  extended 
so  far  out  over  the  beak,  that  it  was  in  the  way  of  their 
picking  up  grains,  and  they  were  compelled  to  press  the 
protruding  comb  on  one  side  to  get  their  bills  to  the 
ground." 

On  two  or  three  occasions  subsequent  to  this,  Mr. 
Thompson  obtained  the  fowls  direct  from  Leghorn,  once 
through  his  son-in-law,  who  was  master  of  a  vessel.  They 
matured  early,  pullets  laying  at  four  months  old;  and  Mr. 
Thompson  was  of  the  opinion  that  they  oftentimes  died 
from  exhaustion,  actually  laying  themselves  to  death.  I 
once  knew  of  a  party  who  had  them  and  sold  the  eggs 
under  the  name  of  "Sicilian  Fowls."  That  they  are  ex- 
cellent layers,  no  one  will  question,  for  they  will  lay  more 
eggs  in  a  given  time,  than  any  other  pure-bred  fowl 
known. 

An  attempt  was  made  by  an  American  poultry 
breeder,  to  investigate  the  origin  of  "Leghorns"  in  their 
native  land.  How  this  failed  to  accomplish  satisfactory 
results  is  clearly  explained  in  an  article  written  by  J.  H. 
Davis,  an  old  and  well-known  writer  on  poultry  topics, 
for  the  "Fancier's  Gazette"  some  twenty  years  ago.  We 
reprint  the  following  extracts  from  Mr.  Davis'  interesting 
summary: 

Twenty  or  more  years  ago  there  was  a  little  book 
issued,  bearing  the  above  title,  by  F.  H.  Ayres,  of  Mystic 
River,  Connecticut.  Mr.  Ayres  conceived  the  plan  in  1878, 
of  visiting  the  great  Paris  Exposition  for  the  purpose  of 
looking  over  the  fowls  placed  on  exhibition  there,  and 
then  going  to  Italy  to  hunt  for  Leghorns,  as  he  desired  to 
bring  home  with  him  all  the  varieties  and  colors  obtain- 
able. 

Arriving  at  Marseilles,  he  at  once  proceeded  to  look 
at   the   fowls   in  the   Zoological   Garden.     Here   he   found 


12 


THE   LEGHORNS 


Peafowls,  White-  Pheasants,  a  fowl  that  looked  like  a 
White  Leghorn,  but  rumpless;  also  a  rumpless  fowl  with 
Plymouth  Rock  plumage,  and  a  big  black  rumpless  cock 
with  feathered  legs  and  a  crest  nearly  four  inches  high. 
All  these  were  in  one  pen.  In  another  pen  was  a  bird 
resembling  a  Hamburg,  with  rose  comb,  yellow  hackle, 
plumage  yellowish  brown,  blue  legs  and  half-white  ear- 
lobes.  Then  there  were  Japanese  Bantams  and  a  coop 
of  fowls  resembling  Silver  Hamburgs,  but  about  half  the 
size,  the  most  of  which  had  red  ear-lobes,  the  plumage 
being  yellowish  white.  Then  there  was  a  pen  of  Sultans, 
and  poor  specimens  of  Golden,  Silver  and  Mottled  Polish. 
Many  other  varieties  of  birds  were  found  here,  but  no 
Leghorns,  which  the  tourist  was  in  quest  of. 

He  next  went  to  Leghorn,  a  city  of  a  hundred  thou- 
sand inhabitants,  and  the  first  place  he  visited  was  the 
market,  in  search  of  Leghorns.  There  were  hundreds  of 
fowls  on  sale.  The  proprietor  or  overseer  of  the  market 
explained  to  Mr.  Ayres  that  he  had  men  out  with  hand- 
carts gathering  up  fowls  in  all  directions,  some  of  them 
going  as  far  as  fifty  miles  for  birds.  Occasionally  they 
extend  their  trips  as  far  as 
the  Adriatic  Sea,  on  the  op- 
posite side  of  Italy,  and  to 
Rome.  Curiously  enough, 
the  writer  does  not  men- 
tion the  fact  that  he  saw 
during  his  trip  abroad 
either  a  Brown,  White  or 
Pure  Black  Leghorn,  and 
the  book  winds  up  with  the 
writer's  visit  to  Leghorn. 
He  does  say,  however,  that 
"The  black  fowl- is  the  fav- 
orite fowl  in  Italy."  He 
also  wrote  that  of  the  thou- 
sands of  fowl  he  saw  out- 
side the  gates  of  Leghorn, 
nine  out  of  every  ten  were 
jet  black  without  admixture 
of  any  other  color,  and 
these  fowls  had  single 
combs,  all  of  them. 

In  this  connection  we 
mention  the  fact  that  the 
Brown  Leghorn  was  the 
first  to  appear  in  America  as 
a  distinctive  Leghorn  breed. 
Then  came  the  Whites,  and 

afterwards  the  Blacks.  Another  thing  should  be 
bered;  that  all  the  Brown,  White  and  Black  Leghorns  of 
the  earlier  days  had  single  combs,  and  that  the  rose  combs 
did  not  come  until  recently,  especially  the  rose  comb 
Browns.  Mr.  Ayres  gave  Reed  Watson,  of  East  Windsor 
Hill,  Conn.,  credit  for  introducing  the  first  Black  Leg- 
horns in  this  country  from  abroad,  though  he  admits  that 
many  Black  Leghorns  had  been  made  in  this  country  be- 
fore Mr.  Watson's  importation,  from  sports  of  Dominique 
Leghorns,  and  that  these  black  sports  bred  together  pro- 
duced true  Black  Leghorns  in  every  particular. 

Mr.  Ayres  brought  no  Leghorns  home  from  Italy 
with  him.  If  he  did,  he  does  not  mention  it.  Perhaps  he 
was  grievously  disappointed  in  not  finding  what  he  was 
in  search  of.  He  says,  in  conclusion,  that  in  all  his 
travels  in  Italy  he  did  not  see  a  rose  comb  fowl,  and  gives 
it  as  his  opinion  that  all  rose  combs  were  made  in 
America.  He  further  stated  that  most  of  the  fowls  he 
saw  there  were  good  Leghorn  shape,  but  he  saw  no  pure 
breeds,  unless  it  was  the  Blacks. 

Now  I  want  to  ask:  Where  the  Brown  and  White 
Leghorns  came  from?  Surely  not  from  Italy.  There  is 
no  record  anywhere,  and  I  have  searched  faithfully  for  it, 
to  show  that  a  Brown  or  White  Leghorn  was  ever  im- 
ported from  Italy  in  the  early  days.  No  tourist  ever  saw 
one  there,  and  they  were  never  there,  unless  imported 
from  this  country  in  later  years.  The  conclusion,  then,  is 
that  the  Brown  and  White  Leghorns  are  purely  American 
breeds,  which  I  have  long  maintained  and  must  adhere 
to.  The  principal  factor  in  making  the  Brown  Leghorn 
was  the  Black  Breasted  Red  Game.  What  other  cross 
was  used  I  am  at  a  loss  to  determine.     The  male  Brown 


4.    BLACK    LEGHORNS    IN    1875. 
This  old  print  appeared  in  the  December  Poultry  World.  1875. 
The  cut  was  engraved  by  Mr.  Porter,  then  considered  the  best 
delineator  of  fowl,  the  subject  being  a  pair  of  Blacli  Leghorns 
owned  by  C.   E.  L.  Hayward,   New  Hampshire,   one  of  V 


Df    thii 


Leghorns  of  earlier  days  were  much  like  the  Black  Reds; 
so  much  so  as  to  be  often  mistaken  for  them,  and  they 
possessed  all  the  pugnacity  of  the  Games.  The  Brown 
Red  Games  were  also  introduced  in  the  cross. 

To  sum  up,  then,  from  all  the  data  at  hand,  and  after 
the  most  critical  search  for  facts  concerning  the  Leghorns, 
the  only  conclusion  that  can  be  leached  is  that  we  are  np.t 
indebted  to  Italy  for  the  Leghorns;  that  they  did  not 
originate  there,  and  that  they  are  purely  an  American 
breed,  just  as  much  as  the  Wyandottes  or  Plymouth 
Rocks  are  American  breeds.  Then  let  us  speak  of  this 
favorite  breed  of  fowls  not  as  from  Italy,  or  in  the  Med- 
iterranean class,  but  as  American  fowls,  in  the  American 
class. 

None    will    dispute    Mr.    Davis'    patriotic    sentiments, 
even  if  his  claims,  especially  as  to  the  origin  of  White  and 
Black  Leghorns,  are  not  well  supported  by  authentic  data. 
H.  H.  Stoddard,  in  his  "New  Book  on  the  Brown  Leg- 
horn," sums  up  the  history  of  the  origin  of  the  color  and 
form    of    Brown    Leghorns 
in  the   following  intelligent 
and  impartial   language: 

To  us  the  origin  of  the 
name  of  the  Leghorn  fowl 
is  not  as  interesting  as  the 
origin  of  those  peculiarities 
which  distinguish  the  breed. 
Color  of  plumage  may  be 
nothing  remarkable.  We 
have  the  White,  Black  and 
Brown  and  Dominique. 
These  colors,  on  domesti- 
cated fowls,  without  care, 
would  be  mixed  in  many 
specimens,  and  the  Leg- 
horn would  really  be  a 
speckled  fowl.  But  who  has 
not  observed,  in  flocks  of 
native  fowls  that  have  been 
bred  without  any  choice  of 
color,  how  in  a  few  years, 
the  red-hackled  cock  ap- 
pears, with  the  black  breast, 
and  the  "brown  hen?"  This 
seems  to  be  a  natural  ar- 
rangement of  color  when 
breeding  for  color  is  not  an  object  of  attention.  Hence  it 
is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  the  Brown  Leghorn,  in  its 
native  clime,  may  have  the  most  natural  color  among  the 
black,  white  and  mixed. 

The  doctrine  recently  advanced  by  an  eminent  writer 
on  poultry  that  all  breeds  of  fowls  tend  to  grow  lighter 
in  color,  may  be  pronounced  decidedly  erroneous.  If  this 
were  the  case,  then  on  farms  the  flocks  bred  hap-hazard 
style  would  all  have  become  snow-white  long  ago.  The 
truth  is,  domestication  causes  the  color  of  pigeons  and 
poultry  of  all  kinds,  in  common  with  horses,  dogs,  sheep, 
cattle  and  all  other  domestic  animals,  to  scatter  in  all 
directions.  There  is  a  constant  tendency  toward  white, 
black,  brown,  yellow,  mottled,  pied,  brindled,  spotted, 
"ring-streaked,  speckled  and  grizzled."  But  there  is  no 
more  gravitation  toward  light  colors  than  toward  dark 
ones.  Black  sheep  appear  persistently,  in  spite  of  con- 
tinued weeding.  White  and  black  horses  start  up  in  a 
strain  of  bays.  No  matter  what  the  uniform  color  of  a 
race  of  birds  or  quadrupeds  is  in  a  state  of  nature,  do- 
mesticate it,  and  owing  to  a  change  of  food,  or  to  some 
unknown  cause  or  combination  of  artificial  influences,  the 
stock  branches  out  in  a  few  generations,  to  a  great  di- 
versity of  colors.  Now,  with  fowls  there  is  not  only  a 
constant  tendency  to  this  scattering  of  color,  but  also  a 
conflicting  tendency  to  the  reversion  to  the  primitive  type 
of  the  Gallus  Bankiva,  the  parent  wild  stock,  which  is 
colored  very  much  like  our  Standard  Brown  Leghorns  of 
today.  Therefore  the  persistent  appearance  in  the  barn- 
yard fowls  of  Italy  of  the  Brown  variety  of  Leghorns 
among  black,  white  and  speckled  specimens,  is  but  the 
assertion   of   the   original   tendency   of  the   race,   and   the 


its   admission   to   the 


14 


THE   LEGHORNS 


brown  type  of  Italian  fowls  with  black  breasted  males  may 
be  looked  upon  as  carrying  the  inborn  marks  of  their 
ancient  lineage.  j  ,•     , 

But,  what  produces  the  shape,  and  the  lithe  and  lively 
qualities?  There  is  a  "blue  blood"  and  a  fineness  about 
this  breed  which  we  may  best  account  for  by  the  climate 
where  they  have  lived  for  ages.  What  makes  the  differ- 
ence between  the  quick,  impulsive  Italian  and  Frenchman, 
and  the  native  of  northern  Europe?  Is  it  not  the  long- 
continued  direct  and  indirect  influence  of  the  climate? 

But,  besides  the  influence  of  climate,  what  naturalists 
call  correlative  development  has  much  to  do  with  it.  By 
this  term  is  meant  that  the  growth  of  one  part  of  the  body 
of  an  animal  affects  the  growth  of  other  parts.  Now  what 
can  we  expect  of  a  small  or  medium-sized  fowl  like  the 
Brown  Leghorn  hen?  Surely  not  meat  enough  to  fill  the 
stomachs  of  a  large  family  at  dinner!  She  flies  around 
lively,  and  cannot,  of  com  se,  lay  on  flesh.  She  is  enter- 
prising, and  her  very  lightness  and  quickness  render  her 
able  to  go  farther  in  a  day,  and,  if  at  liberty,  get  a  pro- 
portionately larger  share  of  the  good  things,  such  as 
^prr-     "■■  '   ••'  —  *'    t-  -^ake   "^er  'ay  eggs      W^^'e  s^e  i  = 


5     S     C     BRO^\N    LEGHORNS    IN 


doing  this,  a  specimen  of  some  larger  breed  will  hang 
around  the  barn  or  shed,  eat  corn,  lay  few  eggs,  but  de- 
velop a  body  amply  sufficient  in  bulk  to  dine  a  company 
of  six  men. 

There  is  a  balancement  in  growing  things.  If  nutri- 
ment flows  to  one  part  of  the  organism,  another  part  must 
go  lean.  The  cow  that  makes  two  pounds  of  butter  per 
day  will,  very  likely,  present  a  body  of  skin  and  bones, 
after  she  has  been  at  it  a  considerable  time;  while  the 
Shorthorn,  with  ample  proportions,  bones  well  hung  with 
fat,  gives  but  little  milk,  with  few  oily  globules.  We 
never  see  a  crest  on  a  large  comb,  or  find  a  beard  and 
large  wattles  on  the  same  fowl.  A  little  crab-apple  will 
have  an  abundance  of  seed  in  perfection.  A  cultivated 
apple,  large,  luscious,  well-flavored,  will  have  few  seeds, 
and  a  portion  of  those  in  a  state  of  atrophy. 

Some  one  may  ask  if  the  sunny  clime  of  Italy  will 
cause  monstrous  combs  to  grow  on  fowls.  We  answer 
that  the  tendency  of  a  cold  climate  is  to  make  combs 
small.  Men  living  in  a  cold  country  will  select  specimens 
with  small  combs  as  breeders,  for  the  reason  that  large 
combs  will  invariably  get  frozen.  But,  in  a  mild  country, 
a  large  comb  may  be  cultivated,  also  those  of  curious  or 
fantastic  shape,  as  the  French  breeds. 

There  is  a  tendency  among  mankind  to  admire  some 
extraordinary  development,  or  something  very  small.  It 
is  not  unreasonable  to  supoose  that  Italians,  away  back  to 
the  time  of  the  Roman  Empire,  if  you  please,  cultivated 
these  high  single  combs  and  large  wattles.  Women  care  for 
poultry,  to  a  great  extent,  in  Europe,  and  these  extrava- 
gant combs  are  of  a  piece  with  hair  fixings  sixteen  inches 
high,  hoops  four  feet  in  diameter,  and  shoes  with  heels 
stilted. 

It  cannot  be  denied  that  the  people  of  a  nation  pro- 
ducing many  artists  will  be  very  likely  to  select  and  breed 


domestic  poultry  with  taste,  and  with  an  eye  to  the  beau- 
tiful. Who  does  not  think  that  the  combs  and  wattles 
(not  frozen)  on  a  Leghorn  are  very  pleasing? 

But,  however  much  or  little  the  premeditated  selection 
of  the  keepers  may  have  effected  in  the  matter  of  combs 
(and  we  are  inclined  to  suspect  that  it  has  accomplished  a 
great  deal,  not  so  much  in  originating  the  large  combs  as 
in  perpetuating  and  intensifying  the  trait),  the  law  of  cor- 
relative development  has  come  in  play  here  also,  no  doubt, 
working  slowly,  but  surely  for  ages.  They  have  small  bodies, 
and  can  afford  to  have  large  combs  and  full,  large  tails.  No 
doubt  man  has  much  to  do  with  this,  but  nature  fixe:  these 
things  so  that  they  are  suitable,  and  it  is  not  difficult  for 
man  to  fall  in  and  help  a  little.  How  the  Leghorn  would 
look  with  a  small  comb  and  a  Cochin  tail!  Intolerable, 
even  with  large  egg  production.  It  is  easy  to  beHeve  that 
a  large  body  naturally  has  proportionately  small  append- 
ages; so  that  when  we  get  a  fowl  with  a  large,  thick-set 
body,  the  tail  and  head  fixings  are  small,  not  entirely 
through  man's  interference  by  selection. 

We  can  give  no  reason  for  many  things  in  nature  but 
'hat  they  are  so.  >xany  other  things  are  very  plain.  For 
instance,  a  wild  dog  carries  his  small  ears  erect,  be- 
cause he  must  listen  almost  constantly,  in  his  wild 
condition,  in  order  to  get  a  living;  but  generally  the 
tame  dog  has  large  lopped  ears,  because  he  is  free, 
in  his  tame  condition,  from  the  necessity  of  con- 
stant watching,  and  the  muscles  of  the  ear  become 
lax  by  disuse.  Use  has  much  to  do  with  develop- 
ment. Note  the  muscles  of  the  blacksmith's  arm. 
The  Brown  Leghorn  has  large  wings.  Why?  Ac- 
tivity accounts  for  it;  also,  in  a  measure,  for  the  size 
of  the  tail.  Watch  one  of  this  breed,  and  you  will 
see  the  head  move  quickly  and  often.  Does  not  this 
cause  rapid  and  full  circulation  of  blood  and  help  to 
develop  large  comb  and  wattles? 

First  White  Leghorns 

Whether  the  ancestral  blood  was  pure  Spanish 
or  blended  wi.h  the  latter  by  the  blood  of  the 
"Italiens,"  the  undisputed  fact  remains  that  the 
first  White  Leghorns  appeared  in  Uncle  Sam's  do- 
main, and  the  first  trio  to  arrive  in  England  left 
America's  shores  in  1869.  Of  this  importation  to 
Great  Britain,  the  well-known  English  poultry  au- 
thority, W.  B.  Tegetmeier,  in  his  book  "Poultry  for 
the  Table  and  Market  versus  Fancy  Fowls,"  London, 
1893,  writes  as  follows: 

Another  breed,  which  obviously  originated  on  the 
shores  of  the  Mediterranean,  is  the  Leghorn,  which  was 
first  known  as  a  yellow-legged,  white-plumaged  variety. 
The  birds  shown  in  the  engraving  (see  Fig.  1)  were  those 
first  introduced  into  this  country  by  myself  from  America 
in  the  year  1869.  The  Leghorn  is  also  a  non-sitter  and  a 
most  prolific  layer  of  white  eggs.  It  has  lately  come  into 
greater  fashion  as  a  show-fowl,  and  various  colors  have 
been  developed  in  the  plumage.  The  co-called  Brown 
Leghorns  have  been  made  by  crossing  with  the  Black- Red 
Game,  and  recently  a  breed,  with  much  white  in  its  com- 
position, called  Pyle  Leghorns,  and  other  colors,  such  as 
Black,  Buff  and  Cuckoo,  have  been  produced.  Leghorns 
are  generally  smaller  than  the  Minorcas  or  Andalusians. 

The  engraving  on  page  7  is  a  very  accurate  representa- 
tion of  the  first  trio  of  White  Leghoins  which  was  import- 
ed to  this  country  by  myself  in  1869.  Not  having  been  bred 
for  show  points,  they  were  most  prolific,  and  promised  to 
become  a  very  useful  addition  to  our  egg-producing 
breeds;  but,  having  been  raised  to  the  dignity  of  an  exhi- 
bition fowl,  more  attention  has  been  paid  to  their  white 
earlobes  and  serrated  combs  than  to  their  prolificacy. 

Leghorn  breeders  who  have  taken  the  trouble  to 
study  the  history  of  the  breed  admit  that  W.  Simpson  of 
New  York  City,  was  the  first  breeder  of  White  Leghorns 
in  the  United  States.  W.  J.  Fullerton,  a  Canadian  breeder 
of  White  Leghorns,  made  a  careful  search  of  the  early 
records  relating  to  his  favorite  variety,  and  incorporated 
the  following  data  found  by  him,  in  an  article  published  in 
the  "Canadian  Poultry  Advocate"  some  five  or  six  years  ago : 


16 


THE   LEGHORNS 


I  have  been  breeding  the  S.  C.  White  Leghorns  for  a 
number  of  years  now,  and  I  have  often  thought  I  would 
like  to  know  something  of  the  history  or  origin  of  this 
grand  breed  of  fowl,  but  whenever  I  have  asked  the  older 
breeders  than '' niyself  and  men  who  have  been  breeding 
the  Leghorns  for  years,  they  invariably  say:  "L  don't 
know;  I  can't  fell  you."  But  I  have  managed  to  pick  up 
a  few  odd  notes,  and  thought  perhaps  there  might  be  a 
few  more  like'^yself  who  would  like  to  know.  And  al- 
though I  ha\'e  fething  very  definite  to  offer,  I  will  try,  in 
my  humble  way,  to  give  you  these. 

A  Mr.  W.  Simpson,  of  West  Farms,  New  York, 
claimed  that'  he  was  the  first  in  America  to  breed  this 
variety  of  fowls.  He  got  them  from  a  young  man  who 
had    them    oh    board    his  |£»'''   ^/    ^ 

ship,   but    what    port    the  ^ijfij^ 

ship  came  from  he  did  not  jfir'^^^*-^ 

learn.  This*' was  M\  the 
year  1853;  he '' got  one 
cock,  four  white,  hens  and 
one  Blue  Leghorn  hen. 
They  differed  from  the 
fowl  of  the  present  day  in 
that  they  were  somewhat 
larger  and  had  white  legs. 
He  bred  these  fowl  in  and 
in,  before  |ie  '  could  get 
any  fresh  blood  to  cross 
with  them, -and  from  the 
blue  heti  he-  bred  some 
magnificent  D  o  m  i  n  ique 
Leghorns  which  he  exhib- 
ited at  the  American  In- 
stitute Fair  in  New  York, 
several  years,  where  they 
attracted  much  attention. 
But,  being  a  new  breed 
no  prize  was  offered  for 
them.  About  the  year 
1860,  he  says,  some  im 
portations  of  yellow  \es, 
ged  birds  were  made  an  1 
that  color  being  preferred 
the  white-legged  ones 
soon  disappeared.  He  is 
of  the  opinion  that  the 
yellow  legs  and  hardiness 
together  have  been  intro 
duced  by  a  cross  with  the 
Asiatic,  to  which  the 
American  breeders  are 
very  prone,  aiid  which  is 
known  to  produce  good 
results.  Mr.  Simpson  was 
of  the  opinion  that  the 
character  of  the  head  and 
shape  of  the  body  were  de- 
cidedly of  Spanish  appear- 
ance, with  nice  red  combs 
and  wattles,  and  pure  white 

Mr.  Simpson  stated  that  the  White  Leghorn  was  not 
a  superior  table  fowl,  but  very  passable,  but  that  it  was 
a  remarkably  good  layer  of  large,  white  eggs,  and  Was  a 
non-sitter. 

Mr.  Simpson  also  stated  that  in  the  year  1854  five 
hens  laid  954  eggs;  in  the  year  1856  ten  hens  laid  a  total 
of  1,528  eggs,  and  in  the  year  1858  five  hens  produced  813 

The  American  Agriculturist  of  March,  1869,  contained 
an  article  on  White  Leghorns,  with  an  illustration,  in 
which  the  editor  stated  that  his  knowledge  of  the  breed 
dated  back  for  about  ten  years,  and  described  the  bird  as 
follows:  Rich,  yellow  legs,  single  comb,  white  ear-lobes 
and  white  plumage,  and  somewhat  resembling  Hamburgs 
in  shape.  He  stated  that  recent  importations  were  from 
Leghorn,  and  not  from  Spain. 

Whether  the  original  blood  that  produced  the  White 
Leghorn  flowed  in  the  veins  of  Spanish  or  Italian  fowls, 
may  have  caused  discussion  more  or  less  warm  in  the 
olden  times,  breeders  today  are  satisfied  to  class  White 
Leghorns  as  an  American  production  selected  by  intelli- 
gent breeders  of  fifty  or  more  years  ago,  from  the  Med- 


iterranean breeds  imported  into  America  in  the  middle  oi 
the  nineteenth  century. 

Origin    of    Buff    Leghorns 

A.  Armstrong,  Petaluma,  California,  in  an  essay  on 
Buff  Leghorns,  written  for  the  Los  Angeles  Poultry  As- 
sociation in  1895,  refirs  to  the  origin  of  this  new  variety, 
as   follows:  ■;_,'.'" 

The  best'English  authorities  claim  that  this  breed 
originated  in  Denmark.     Mr.  Edward  Brown  of  the  "Fan- 


■ciers'  Gazette,"  England, 
in  1887,  saw  Buff  Legho 
low   Italians."     They  we 


hile  at  the  show  in  Copenhagen 
s,  or  as  they  were  called  "Yel- 
imported  to  England  in  1888, 
from  that  time  attracting 
the  attention  of  the  Eng- 
lish fanciers.  When  I  first 
read  this  statement  I 
knew  not  whether  to  be- 
lieve it  or  not,  as  there 
were  so  many  fanciers  at- 
tacking the  breed  and 
claiming  it  was  manufac- 
tured by  crossing  the 
'n  and  White  Leg- 
horns, Mrs.  Lister  Kay 
contending  that  such  a 
cross  could  not  produce 
Buff;  but  Pyle  Leghorns. 
In  an  interview  with  Mr. 
T.  Sachan,  a  native  of 
Denmark,  and  a  reliable 
man,  now  living  in  San 
Leandro,  California,  he 
told  me  that  the  Buff 
Leghorns  were  a  genuine 
breed  and  that  his  father 
kept  them  in  Denmark 
twenty-five  years  ago; 
and  he  remembered  well 
gathering  the  large  eggs 
tor  his  father.  He  said: 
"They  were  called  'Yel- 
low Italians'  and  were 
considered  the  most 
profitable  breed  in  Den- 
mark." As  Mr.  Sachan 
was  not  a  breeder,  and  in 
no  way  connected  with 
the  industry,  his  unbiased 
statement  convinced  me 
that  they  did  originate  in 
Denmark,  or  at  least  were 
known  there  for  over  a 
quarter  of  a  century. 


BUFF    LEGHORN    COCKEREL,    18D4, 


-lobes,  and  white  plumage. 


Introduction  Into  America 

Mr.  August  D.  Arnold, 
of  Dillsburg,  Pennsylvania, 
was,  I  believe,  the  first  one  to  import  them  from  England, 
the  first  lot  arriving  in  1890.  I  have  always  admired  thf 
Isuff  color,  and  when  I  found  I  could  get  a  Buff  Leghorn, 
I  was  not  long  in  taking  them  up.  I  clt>im  to  be  the 
first  breeder  of  this  variety  on  the  Pacific  coast.  The  first 
Buffs  I  owned  were  a  very  great  disappointment  to  me, 
as  they  had  so  much  white  in  plumage  and  I  came  to 
the  conclusion  that  no  matter  where  they  came  from 
they  had  been  sadly  neglected, — in  fact,  it  seemed  a  fraud- 
ulent transaction  to  offer  eggs  or  birds  for  sale  from  a 
breed  that  did  not  breed  truer  to  color  than  they  did  the 
first  year  of  their  introduction  into  the  United  States.  I 
soon  found,  however,  that  there  were  many  good  speci- 
mens, and  that  by  careful  selection,  good  true  Buff  color 
could  be  produced.  I  have  bred  them  four  years  and  like 
them  better  than  ever. 

Mr.  Hesford,  in  his  book,  "Leghorns  of  All  Varie- 
ties," London,  England,  1896,  gives  the  following  informa- 
tion relating  to  the  formation  of  the  Danish  and  English 
Buff  Leghorns: 

The  Buff  Leghorn  is  not  like  the  Pyle  and  the  Duck- 
wing — a  new  variety.  It  belongs  to  the  class  already 
spoken   of  as   "italiens"  and  was   somewhat   common   on 


THE  LEGHORNS 


17 


the  Continent  many  years  before  it  appeared  in  England. 
Though  popularly  known  on  the  Continent  as  "Chamois," 
they  were  usually  described  in  Denmark  as  "Yellows,"  and 
in  the  famous  show  at  Copenhagen,  in  July,  1885,  two 
pens  so  described  were  shown,  it  must  be  said,  however, 
that  only  since  their  introduction  into  this  country  has 
there  been  any  approach  to  a  solid  buff  color,  for  the 
continental  Chamois  invariably  had  a  white  tail  and 
flights,  besides,  in  most  cases,  the  buflf  color  being  prac- 
tically a  lacing,  and  the  center  of  each  feather  being  white 
or  cream  color. 

Mr.  L.  C.  Verrey  was  one  of  the  first  to  exhibit  Buffs 
here,  but  the  first  importer — who  by  his  own  claim 
brought  his  first  Buffs  to  England  some  weeks  before  Mr. 
Verrey— was  Mr.  T.  Penfold-Field.  Both  these  gentle- 
men showed  Buffs  for  the  first  time  at  the  L.  P.  R.  and  A. 
Club  Show  held  at  Derby  in  December,  1888.  The  former 
failed  to  score  with  a  cockerel,  but  secured  second  and 
"highly  commended"  with  pullets.  The  latter  gentleman's 
exhibits  did  not  gain  any  recognition  from  the  judge 

We  believe  it  was  Mr.  Field  who  sold  and  shipped  to 
August  D.  Arnold  the  pen  of  Buft  Lc^h  rns  hr  t  exhib 
ited  at  the  new  Mad- 
ison Square  Garden  in 
1891.  They  resembled 
White  Pyles  more  than 
they  did  Buffs,  and  did 
not  meet  with  a  favor- 
able reception.  But  Mr. 
Arnold,  whose  pluck 
and  persistence  are 
well  known,  made  other 
importations  the  year 
following  and  succeed- 
ed in  obtaining  some 
really  strong  colored 
Buflf  Leghorns  from 
Mrs.  Lister-Kay,  in- 
cluding the  Crystal 
Palace  winners.  As  we 
judged  the  Leghorn 
classes  at  Xew  York 
in  those  years,  we  had 
an  excellent  opportun- 
ity    of     handling     and 

examining  the  new  buff  variety.  The  males  were  quite 
rich  and  fairly  sound  in  surface  color,  and  very  strong  in 
undercolor;  although  some  showed  considerable  slate  in 
the  latter.  The  birds  were  quite  large  and  rat'ier  heavy 
in  body,  having  very  large,  coarse  and  heavy  combs,  the 
tails  being  none  too  well  furnished,  and  carried  rather 
high.  The  same  defects  were  noticeable  in  the  females, 
but  in  a  lesser  degree.  But  such  good  fanciers  as  Arnold, 
Wheeler,  and  Shepherd  soon  refined  the  crude  type 
to  the  .American  Standard  ideal  of  shape;  so  that  after 
1895  the  improvement  of  the  Buff  in  color  and  shape  was 
rapid.  The  illustration,  P'ig.  6,  of  Mrs.  W.  P.  Wheeler's 
first  prize  cockerel  at  Madison  Square  Garden,  New  York, 
1894,  is  a  good  portrait  of  the  male  type  in  vogue  at  that 
period.  .A  comparison  of  this  type  with  the  jnodern. 
Standard-bred  Buff  Leghorn  winners  at  our  leading 
shows,  will  convey  the  great  progress  made  in  the  past 
fifteen  years,  in  shape  of  body,  carriage  and  shape  of  tail, 
and  in  comb  and  head  points. 

That  the  English  strains  of  Buff  Leghorns  were  of 
different  blood  from  the  Danish  "Chamois,"  there  can  be 
no  doubt,  the  heavy  bodies,  greater  size  and  large  combs 
being  foreign  to  the  yellow  fowls  of  Denmark.  Lewis 
Wright,  in  his  book,  "The  Practical  Poultry  Keeper," 
London,  England,  1899,  remarks:  "Buff  Leghorns  have 
become  very  numerous  and  popular.    They  appear  to  have 


SINGLE    COMB    BUFF    LEGHORNS.    1800. 


been  bred  from  Italian  stock,  crossed  with  weedy  Buflf 
Cochins.  The  crossing  has  introduced  much  difficulty  ii> 
breeding  sound,  rich  buff  unmixed  with  white  or  black; 
but  the  color  seems  to  suit  the  close  plumage  of  this 
fowl  particularly  well." 

This  Cochin-Italian  cross  furnished  the  lound.ition 
blood  of  the  present  day  Buff  Leghorn,  but  the  introduc- 
tion of  American  White  and  Brown  Leghorn  blood  into 
some  strains,  we  suspect,  did  more  to  improve  the  shape 
and  style  of  the  Buff  Leghorns  in  this  country,  than  the 
careful  selection,  year  after  year,  of  the  most  typical 
specimens  in  the  progeny  of  the  English  strain  of  Buflf 
Leghorns  alone. 

But,  while  the  Buff  Leghorns  of  today  may  be  the 
lineal  descendants  of  those  imported  from  England  and 
exhibited  in  1892,  and  afterward  in  America,  their  pro- 
genitors cannot  claim  to  have  been  the  first  Buff  Leg- 
horn exhibited  in  this  or  any  other  country.  As  far 
back  as  1869  Single 
Comb  Buff  Leghorns 
were  exhibited  at  New 
Haven,  Conn.,  by  John. 
G.  Moore,  and  1871  C. 
E.  ^Clinton,  who  was 
Secretary  of  the  Con- 
necticut State  Poultry 
.Association,  exhibited 
a  string  of  Buff  Leg- 
horns at  the  New 
Haven  show.  They 
were  smaller  than  the 
Buff  Leghorns  of  to- 
day, but  were  fairly 
good  in  color.  We  are 
indebted  to  the  late  C. 
P.  Nettleton,  Shelton,. 
Conn.,  for  the  above 
facts,  the  latter  being, 
substantiated  by  several 
clippings  from  the  New 
Haven  papers  of  that 
period,  which  printed  the  awards  and  reports  of  the  exhi- 
bition held  in  their  city  in  1869  and  1871. 

That  this  purely  American  strain  of  Leghorns  was 
allowed  to  "fall  by  the  wayside"  will  be  regretted  by 
Leghorn  breeders  of  this  country,  from  a  lentimental,. 
if  not  from  a  practical  standpoint. 

The  First  Black  Leghorns 
Black  Leghorns  probably  antedated  the  white  and 
brown  varieties  in  their  origin,  as  they  appeared  to  have 
been  quite  common  in  Italy  long  before  they  became 
known  as  Leghorns,  or  the  other  varieties  were  found. 
But  their  actual  appearance  as  a  recognized  Standard/ 
variety  was  in  1874.  The  "Poultry  World"  of  December, 
1875,  gives  the  following  history  of  Black  Leghorns: 

The  first  importation  of  this  breed  from  Italy,  regu- 
larly bred  from,  of  which  we  have  any  authentic  account, 
was  made  in  1871,  by  Mr.  Reed  Watson,  although  stray 
specimens  of  black  or  very  dark  fowls  were  no  ^  doubt 
brought  over  at  various  earlier  times.  Saunders'  "Do- 
mestic Poultry,"  published  in   1866,  says: 

"There  have  been  several  importations  of  the  common 
fowls  of  Leghorn  and  vicinity,  made  of  late.  These  birds 
are  of  all  colors  except  black."  By  which  we  infer  that 
the  breed  under  consideration  was  at  that  time  unknown 
to  the  author  cited.  Wright  makes  no  mention  of  any 
Leghorns  of  this  character.  There  are  traditions,  how- 
ever, of  several  dark  or  black  hens  having  been  found 
among  the  Brown  Leghorns    brought    to  this  country    at 


THE   LEGHORNS 


various  times  since  1853.  The  first  published  account  of 
Black  Leghorns  appeared  as  an  editorial  in  this  magazine, 
page  126,  October,  1872.  Since  then  they  have  become 
widely  known.     We  quote: 

"Mr.  Reed  Watson,  of  East  Windsor  Hill,  Conn.,  has 
some  Leghorn  fowls  direct  from  the  vessel  in  which  they 
were  imported  from  Italy.  We  lately  spent  a  day,  and 
consider  the  day  well  spent,  in  visiting  them,  for  such 
importations  are  rare.  Mr.  Watson's  birds  show  the  un- 
mistakable Leghorn  form,  even  to  the  details  of  comb 
and  wattles,  and  are  as  thoroughly  non-sitters  as  any  of 
our  acclimated  strains.  They  are  very  vigorous  and 
active.  The  original  fowls,  three  in  number,  imported  a 
year  ago,  are  now  surrounded  by  a  well-grown  and  nu- 
merous family.  The  old  hens  have  proved  themselves 
remarkably,  prolific  layers,  and  the  pullets  of  last  April 
are  following  the  example.  A  brood  of  a  dozen  chicks 
can  be  seen,  hatched  September  1st,  from  eggs  laid  by 
pullets  of  this  stock,  hatched  after  the  middle  of  April 
last, — that  is.  the  pullets  reproduced  when  less  than  four 
months  old." 

Two  years  later  Mr.  Watson  made  another  importa- 
tion, which  is  referred  to  in  the  "Poultry  World"  as  fol- 
lows: 

Although  the  Standard  for  this  breed  was  framed  in 
accordance  with  specimens  shown  at  Buffalo,  of  Mr.  Wat- 
son's first  importation,  and  although  the  strain  was  largely 
sold  and  has  been  bred  from  in  all  parts  of  the  country, 
still  it  has  never  thrown  as  true  as  is  desirable;  and  it  did 
not  satisfy  the  aspirations  of  its  importer,  who  therefore 
resolved  to  try  again,  and  accordingly  commissioned  an 
agent  to  select  by  the  Standard  some  fowls  in  Italy  that 
would  breed  according  to  the  Standard.  The  birds  ar- 
rived last  July,  and  Mr.  Watson  informs  us,  after  raising 
a  large  number  of  chicks  the  past  summer  and  fall,  that 
they  breed  remarkably  uniformly  and  true  to  their  type. 

The  following  original  documents  placed  in  our 
hands,  we  publish,  so  that  the  history  of  this  last  importa- 
tion may  be  established  correctly: 

Genoa,  Italy,  May  3,  1876. 
Reed  Watson,  Esq.,  East  Windsor  Hill. 

Dear  Sir: — I  have  delayed  answering  your  favor  of 
January,  for  the  reason  that  I  desired  to  find  the  fowls 
before  doing  so.  I  have  sent  to  Leghorn  and  other  places, 
to  my  friends,  to  try  to  get  the  real  Black  Leghorns,  and 
I  have  also  visited  the  markets  in  this  place  daily,  look- 
ing at  everything  of  interest,  as  regards  fowls,  and  I  have, 
I  think,  found  the  nearest  points  to  the  description  given 
of  Black  Leghorns  that  can  be  found  in  Italy,  and  have 
purchased  one  cock  and  four  hens.  It  is  the  only  cock 
that  came  near  the  description,  that  I  have  ever  seen.  I 
have  also  two  small  young  chickens,  different  from  any- 
thing I  ever  saw:  Color,  gray,  with  soft  feathers,  or  hair, 
as  it  may  be  termed.  I  have  sent  to  the  island  of  Sardinia 
for  a  kind  of  fowl  vyhich  they  have  there,  but  am  afraid  it 
will  not  arrive  in  time  for  me  to  take  home,  but  I  shall 
have  them  shipped,  when  they  get  here,  to  New  York.  I 
shall  leave  in  a  few  days  for  New  York,  and  will  drop  you 
a  line  on  arrival  there.  Yours  truly, 

THOS.  TAPLEY. 
Bark   Ironsides. 

New  York,  July  14,  1876. 
Reed  Watson,  East  Windsor  Hill. 

Dear  Sir: — In  great  haste  I  drop  you  a  few  lines,  that 
you  may  know  that  the  bark  "Ironsides"  has  arrived,  and 
has  on  board  two  cocks  and  three  hens.  If  they  suit,  take 
them  away,  as  they  can  remain  on  board  in  care  of  mate 
till  the  vessel  is  discharged.  Vessel  is  at  Pier  54,  East 
River,  New  York  Marble  Yard.  Yours  truly, 

THOS.  TAPLEY. 

The  American  strains  of  Black  Leghorns  still  exist- 
ing in  this  country,  no  doubt,  trace  their  lineage  back  to 
the  Watson  birds,  but  most  of  the  exhibition  specimens  in 
recent  years  were  imported  from  England,  American  and 
Canadian  breeders  finding  better  color  of  plumage  and 
shanks,  as  well  as  whiter  ear-lobes,  in  the  English  strains. 
Silver  Duckwing  Leghorns  First  Exhibited  in  England 

Silver  Duckwing  Leghorns  were  admitted  to  the 
.American   Standard  of  Perfection  in   1898,  the  same  year 


the  Buff  Leghorns  were  recognized  as  a  Standard  va- 
riety. As  their  origin  is  English,  we  must  look  to  Eng- 
land's authorities  on  poultry  history  for  the  facts  relat- 
ing to  the  formation  of  this  new  and  handsome  variety  of 
the  Leghorn  family.  Mr.  Hesford  devotes  a  long  chapter 
to  the  origin  and  history  of  the  Duckwing  Leghorn  in  his 
book,  from  which  we  glean  the  following: 

The  Duckwing  takes  its  name  from  the  similarity  of 
the  steel  blue  wing-bar  to  that  of  the  Mallard  or  Wild 
Duck,  and  this  name  was  first  given  to  a  sub-variety  of 
Game  fowls.  In  this  latter  fact  lies  the  raison  d'etre, 
probably,  of  the  Duckwing  Leghorn.  There  were  Black 
Red  Game,  White  Game,  and  Pyle  Game — colors  which 
can  be  found  in  Leghorns.  Why  not  a  further  imitation 
— -Duckwing  Leghorns?  This,  at  least  by  one  of  the  claim- 
ants to  the  distinction  of  having  created  "Duckwings,"  is 
given  as  the  reason  for  his  experiments.  Looking  to  the 
fact  that  this  gentleman's  energy  was,  however,  ad- 
mittedly being  devoted  to  the  production  of  Pyle  Leg- 
horns, and  that  in  the  same  year  in  which  Pyles  were  first 
shown,  a  Duckwing  cockerel  was  shown  by  another 
breeder,  it  may  be  safely  said  that  the  creation  of  Pyles 
had  nothing  to  do  with  the  first  idea  of  Duckwings. 

This  brings  us  at  one  and  the  same  time  to  the  his- 
tory of  the  Duckwing  and  the  respective  claims  of  its 
"originators."  Mr.  R.  Terrot,  upon  whose  authority  we 
speak,  showed  at  the  Crystal  Palace  Show  in  1886,  a  Duck- 
wing Leghorn  cockerel  in  the  variety  Leghorn  class, 
winning  second  prize.  This  was  the  first  Duckwing  Leg- 
horn ever  shown  in  the  world.  Mr.  Terrot  afterwards 
showed  two  at  Derby  Show,  winning  second  and  "highly 
commended;"  and  not  till  the  end  of  1887  did  anyone  else 
show  a  Duckwing  Leghorn.  This  forms  the  ground  for 
Mr.  Terrot's  claim,  and  it  cannot  be  denied  that  it  is  sub- 
stantial. 

To  Mr.  Terrot,  then,  in  our  opinion,  must  be  given 
whatever  credit  is  due  for  the  idea.  To  its  successful  car- 
rying out  in  extenso,  Mr.  G.  Payne  can  just  as  rightly  lay 
claim,  for  whether  the  latter  had  his  thoughts  turned  in 
the  direction  of  "Duckwings"  by  sight  of  the  1886  bird  or 
not,  he  certainly  showed  Duckwing  pullets,  as  well  as 
cockerels,  at  one  show  before  anyone  else. 

Just  as  we  have  given  the  facts  above,  so  did  they  ap- 
pear in  two  letters  which  appeared  in  a  poultry  journal  in 
May,  1889;  though,  curiously  enough,  Mr.  Terrot's  claim 
and  statement  brought  forth  no  reply,  apparently,  from 
Mr.  Payne;  but  the  second  letter,  signed  "Anti-Duck- 
wing."  showed  such  a  knowledge  of  the  subject  that  it 
has  been  thought  that  it  was  inspired,  if  not  written,  by 
Mr.  Payne.  Be  that  as  it  may,  we  have  the  conclusive 
fact  that  to  Mr.  Terrot's  actual  claim,  Mr.  Payne,  the  only 
person  who  could  have  an  interest  in  the  matter,  made 
no  public  demur. 

What,  then,  can  we  conclude?  Only  that  Mr.  Terrot 
had  manufactured  Duckwing  cockerels  from  such  mater- 
ials that  it  was  well-nigh  impossible  to  breed  good  pul- 
lets from  the  same;  and  that  Mr.  Payne  had  in  his  pos- 
session something  (perhaps  sports  from  his  "Pyle")  which 
supplied  the  missing  link.  But  what,  comes  t^e  question,  did 
Mr.  Payne  do  to  breed  cockerels,  since  it  was  only  pullets 
he  evidently  had  the  material  for?  Thereby  hangs  a  tale 
• — if  an  attempt  at  a  joke  might  be  excused,  we  might  say 
"a.  long  tail"^a  tail  which,  found  in  Belgium,  reached 
eventually  to  England,  and  "bits"  of  which  may  yet  be 
discovered  "still  growing." 

Mr.  Terrot's  own  description  of  the  material  used  by 
him  will,  to  the  student,  at  once  show  the  reason  for  his 
failure  to  produce  good  Duckwing  pullets.  In  the  first 
place,  a  Duckwing  Game  cock  was  mated  to  Silver  Grey 
Dorking  hens,  and  the  progeny  of  these,  crossed  with 
pure  Brown  Leghorns.  Few,  very  few,  would  be  four- 
toed  cockerels  from  such  parentage,  but  a  surgical  opera- 
tion would  be  necessary  to  produce  pullets.  Now  we 
come  to  absolutely  safe  ground,  and  we  state,  for  the  very 
best  reasons,  that  Mr.  Payne's  Duckwing  pullets  were  not 
in  any  way  Dorking  bred.  We  said  "for  the  best  of  rea- 
sons," and  what  that  reason  is  we  will  state.  Within  two 
or  three  years  of  the  origin  of  Duckwings  we  purchased 
the  entire  stock — "lock,  stock  and  barrel" — in  Mr.  Payne's 
yard,  and  from  that  date  to  the  present  moment,  although 
we  bred  from  almost  every  bird  purchased,  and  have 
hatched  upwards  of  one  thousand  chicks,  we  have  never 


THE   LEGHORNS 


19 


seen  a  five-toed  bird  amongst  our  stock.  To  those  who 
know  the  remarkable  way  in  which  the  merest  dash  of 
alien  blood  will  assuredly  display  itself— how  the  char- 
acteristic points  of  the  breed  from  which  such  a  drop  is 
taken,  will  at  times  appear— the  reason  will  be  all-suf- 
ficient justification  for  our  statement  that  the  production 
of  Duckwings  by  Mr.  Terrot  and  Mr.  Payne  was  con- 
ducted on  very  dissimilar  lines. 

As  to  the  material  used  by  Mr.  Payne,  we  are  to 
some  extent  compelled  to  be  suppositious,  for  though 
very  clearly  and  in  detail  described  are  the  stages  of  the 
Pyle's  evolution,  he  has  never  taken  the  "fancy"  mto  his 
confidence  with  regard  to  Duckwings,  and  his  later  letters 
on  the  "Golden"  and  "Silver"  controversy  have  only 
served  to  darken  the  student's  path.  We  have  statements 
from  three  different  sources  which  aid  us  not  a  little  in 
forming  our  own   conclusions: — 

■  (1)  That  Pyle-bred  sports  (pullets)  of  a  slatey  or 
Andalusian  body  color,  with  underparts  ashen  gray,  were 
used. 

(2)  That  Phoenix  fowls   (or  Shinowarataos)   belong 
to  the  Game  class,  having  all  the  various  Game  col---"    '" 
eluding   Duckwing,   the    female    of    the    latter 
being  a  salmon-breasted  greyfowl. 

(3)  Duckwing  Leghorns  combine  the 
blood  of  nearly  all  the  other  varieties.  The 
best  material  to  use  in  breeding  them  is  to 
select  a  few  mis-marked  pullets  that  occasion- 
ally appear  when  breeding  for  Pyles,  and  breed 
with  a  brown  cock. 

Add  to  the  above  statements  that  Mr. 
Payne  did  not  produce  Duckwings  until  having 
visited  Belgium  on  show  business,  he  espied 
some  Phoenix  fowl;  that  he  purchased  some  of 
the  latter  and  brought  them  to  his  own  yards 
—and  the  matter  lies  in  a  nutshell.  We  have 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  Mr.  Payne  tried 
to  produce  Duckwings  from  the  material  men- 
tioned in  No.  3  above;  but  what  of  the  cock- 
erels from  such  a  mating?  Here  was  a  diffi- 
culty which  the  "Phoenix"  solved;  and,  though 
early  cockerels  were  more  silvern  than  golden, 
they  were  passable  Duckwings.  It  has  been 
said  that  "Silvers"  were  the  first  to  appear.  We 
give  an  extract  from  an  article  by  Mr.  Payne 
which  will  tend  to  show  that  Goldens  were 
quite  an  afterthought:    "On  part  of  the  cock-  -''. 

erels  the  beautiful  black  breast  has  become 
quite  a  feature.  This  I  attribute  to  not  insist- 
ing on  a  pure  silvery  top  color.  Personally  I 
prefer  a  golden  tinge,  as  it  is  less  aff^ected  by 
the  sun,  and  to  my  mind,  sets  the  bird  ofif  better." 

Later  Mr.  Payne  has  publicly  stated  that  Silver 
Duckwings  were  produced  from  very  different  material  to 
that  used  for  Golden  Duckwings,  and  existed  before  the 
latter. 

However,  we  have  got  thus  far,  that  they  were  orig- 
inated by  Mr.  Terrot,  and  that  Mr.  Payne  succeeded  in 
breeding  and  showing  birds  of  both  sexes  that  have  been 
reproduced.  It  is  with  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Huison  on  the 
scenes  that  the  Duckwing  Leghorn  begins  to  evolve  itself 
from  "mongrelism"  to  become  a  typical  bird,  breeding  al- 
most perfectly  true.  Mr.  Huison,  on  the  one  hand,  and 
Mr.  Gerahty.  on  the  other,  have  spared  neither  expense 
nor  trouble  in  bringing  the  Duckwing  Leghorn  to  the  high 
state  of  perfection  it  has  now  attained;  and  without  their 
support  the  "originators"  would  have  had  little  reason  to 
boast  of  their  production. 


Other  Variety'  Leghorns,  the  Silver  Duckwing  hen  and 
pullets  were  the  only  features  worth  mentioning.  They 
were  excellent  in  shape  and  color,  the  hen  showing  more 
style  than  any  other  Leghorn  in  the  Show." 

The  following  year  at  New  York  Mr.  Hanchett  and 
Mr.  Fiske  exhibited  Duckwing  Leghorns,  the  honors 
being  about  equally  divided  between  them.  That  the  new 
variety  showed  decided  improvement  in  quality,  the  fol- 
lowing comments  in  the  "American  Fancier"  indicate; 

Silver  Duckwing  Leghorns  made  an  interesting  ex- 
hibit, the  females  being  particularly  good  in  style  and 
color.  We  also  noted  one  very  promising  cockerel  of  this 
variety,  the  hackle  and  saddle  feathers  showing  some 
striping,  and  the  sooner  Dark  Brahma  hackle  and  saddle 
striping  are  cultivated  on  Duckwing  Leghorns,  the  bet- 
ter. 

Mr.  Fiske  was  the  only  exhibitor  of  Duckwing  Leg- 
horns for  several  years  after  that,  but  no  real  interest  was 


First  Exhibited  in  America 


1894 


Silver  Duckwing  Leghorns  made  their  appearance  in 
America  in  the  beginning  of  the  nineties,  J.  L.  Hanchett, 
Westfield,  Mass.,  making  an  exhibit  at  the  Madison 
Square  Garden,  New  York,  February,  1894,  our  comments 
on  the  class  in  the  "American  Fancier"  being  as  follows: 
"Duckwing  Leghorns  showed  up  well,  especially  the  pen 
and  a  few  of  the  pullets  in  the  open  class.  This  variety 
deserves  attention,  for  it  can  be  made  a  very  handsome 
one."  In  1895,  at  the  New  York  Show,  J.  W.  Fiske,  Pas- 
saic, N.  J.,  exhibited  a  fine  string  of  Silver  Duckwing  Leg- 
horns, our  comments  on  these  at  the  time  being:  "In  '.\ny 


ROSE    COMB    WHITE    LEGHORNS,    1S97. 

taken  in  the  new    variety  until    1906    and    1907,  when  fine 

classes  were  penned  at  the  Madison  Square  Garden,  E.  G. 

Wyckoft',    Exmoor     Farms   and    Thomas    Peer    being   the 

exhibitors.      But  in   the  past    two    years    very  few   Silver 

Duckwing  Leghorns    have    been    exhibited   at    the    winter 

shows. 

Origin  of  Rose  Comb  Brown,  White  and  Buff  Leghorns 

These  three  varieties  differ  only  in  the  shape  of  the 
comb,  from  the  single-combed  varieties,  from  which  they 
are  commonly  supposed  to  have  descended,  color  and 
shape  corresponding  in  all  sections  in  both.  The  Browns 
and  Whites  have  long  been  known  and  bred,  being  among 
the  Standard  varieties  as  far  back  as  1888.  The  Buffs  were 
admitted  to  the  Standard  in  1878.  All  three  are  of  Amer- 
ican manufacture,  no  convenient  skipper  of  some  vessel 
being  credited  with  bringing  them  over  from  sunny  Italy 
to  the  United  States. 

The  origin  of  these  rose  comb  varieties  is  not  an 
"open  book."  Supposition  and  imagination  played  im- 
portant parts  in  the  evolution  of  at  least  one  of  the  frio, 
the  Browns.  T.  F.  McGrew,  who  has  collected  a  valu- 
able and  large  file  of  clippings  relating  to  the  early  his- 
tory of  our  domesticated  races  of  poultry,  kindly  fur- 
nishes us  with  the  following  information  relating  to  Rose 
Comb  Browns: 


20 


THE    LEGHORNS 


Some  people  claim  that  the  Leghorns  with  rose 
combs  came  originally  from  Italy;  again,  in  early 
day  clippings,  I  find  that  the  first  Browns  that  came  had 
rose  combs.  Mr.  H.  D.  Forbes,  then  of  New  Haven, 
Conn.,  stated  that  these  combs  were  produced  by  crossing 
a  rose  comb  cock  with  a  single  comb  hen.  Mr.  Ayres 
went  to  Italy,  came  home  and  reported  that  he  could  not 
find  a  single  rose  combed  Leghorn  on  the  other  side.  At 
the  Cleveland  Show  of  1881,  I  was  called  upon,  with 
others,  to  e.xamine  some  rose  comb  shows.  We  objected 
to  the  combs  because  they  would  have  disqualified  a  Ham- 
burgh. Following  this,  Mrs.  M.  L.  Maples,  Mystic  River, 
Connecticut,  not  only  claimed  that  they  were  original 
from  the  other  side,  but  that  the  man  who  saw  them 
taken  from  the  vessel  was  then  living  in  Mystic  River,  a 
Mr.  Burrows.  I  always  claimed  that  they  were  made 
from  Hamburghs  and  Leghorns. 

Mr.  McGrew's  own  statement  of  the  origin  of  Rose 
Comb  Brown  Leghorns  is  shared  by  the  majority  of  Leg- 
horn breeders  today.  The  following  history  of  the  ex- 
perience of  T.  J.  McDaniel  in  originating  Rose  Comb 
Brown  Leghorns,  appeared  in  the  "Poultry  World,"  July, 
1877: 

I  will  give  your  readers  a  bit  of  experience  in  an 
attempt  to  originate  and  establish  a  new  variety  of  Leg- 
horns. -And  let  me  say.  first,  that  I  have  no  "axe  to 
grind,"  nor  eggs  or  fowls  to  sell,  but  simply  write  this 
article  in  the  interest  of  the  fraternity  of  poultrydom  and 
to  interest  amateurs — perhaps  amuse  veterans — in  the 
good  cause.  However,  I  will  give  a  true  account  of  my 
experiments  as  I  made  them. 

In  1874  I  had  several  hens  of  an  old  breed  called 
"Yorks."  and  I  used  them  only  for  sitters.  They  ex- 
ceeded, in  this  capacity,  any  fowls  I  ever  saw.  Some  were 
as  dark  as  a  male  robin;  all  had  rose  combs.  I  crossed 
them  with  a  Brown  Leghorn  male,  and  selecting  only  the 
rose  comb  chicKs.  put  them  in  the  hands  of  a  neighbor  to 
please  whom  I  introduced  them  into  my  1875  circular  as 
"York  County  Fowls,"  but  did  not  sell  any  for  the  reason 
that  he  became  so  enamoured  of  the  work,  and  so  enthusi- 
astic in  its  pursuit,  that  wherever  he  saw  a  yellow-legged 
rose  comb,  if  it  possessed  the  color  anywhere  within  a 
"gun-shot"  of  his  desideratum,  he  would  make  a  purchase 
and  "throw  (?)  in  new  blood!"  But  last  season,  by  pro- 
curing a  male  bird  of  the  right  kind,  I  succeeded  in  get- 
ting the  color  of  plumage  to  suit  my  fancy. 

This  last  cockerel  was  a  first  cross  between  a  Golden 
Spangled  Hamburg  and  Brown  Leghorn,  and  had  solid 
white  ear  lobes.  He  was  just  the  bird  I  desired,  throwing 
less  than  ten  percent  of  willow-legged  pullets,  and  about 
one  in  every  nine  came  with  single  combs.  The  plumage 
of  his  get  w'as  as  closely  allied  to  that  of  first-class  Brown 
Leghorns  as  one  bird  to  another  of  the  same.  Now,  for 
my  own  gratification,  I  have  gained  quite  a  victory,  for 
these  rose  combed  fowls  will  now  breed  as  true  to  color 
as  any  strain  of  Brown  Leghorns  in  the  world;  i.e.,  if  said 
Brown  Leghorns  are  strictly  Standard  birds,  with  spot- 
less pendant,  lobes,  etc. 

I  do  not  wish  to  write  disparagingly  of  true  Brown 
Leghorns,  for  they  are  the  best  layers  in  existence,  ex- 
cepting, perhaps,  the  Bolton  Grays;  but  between  a  rose 
and  single  combed  fowl  there  is,  naturally,  a  difiference  of 
temperament,  the  latter  possessing  a  shyness  and  nervous- 
ness, invariably,  that  the  former  does  not  have;  in  fact, 
the  flow  of  the'  circulation  tending  to  the  head,  as  it  does 
in  a  Brown  Leghorn,  nu-t  infrequently  produces  all  the 
symptoms  that  characterize  cerebral  apoplexy,  which  I 
have  seen  many  times.  .\  hen  having  a  large  leathery 
comb  and  red  ear-lobes,  in  the  best  of  her  laying  season. 
is  the  one  most  susceptible  to  this  hyperenergia.  But  I 
never  saw  one  so  troubled  if  possessing  a  solid  white 
€ar  lobe.  So  the  ear  lobe  prevents  this  trouble — ^the  only 
good  that  the  unnatural  appendage  ever  did,  to  my  knowl- 
edge. But.  with  respect  to  this  nervous  difTiculty,  I  would 
like  to  inquire  if  the  Hamburgs,  possessing,  as  they  do, 
the  same  bulk  of  weight  of  comb,  do  not  make  better 
pets;  are  they  not  tamer  and  more  docile?  Therefore,  if 
they  do,  they  consume  less  food.  I  speak  only  from  ob- 
servation, never  having  bred  them;  but,  assisting  to  judge 
the  Hamburg  class,  after  judging  the  Spanish  alone,  at 
the    last    exhibition    of  the    Maine    Poultry   .Association,    I 


noticed  this  difference  of  temperament  in  a  marked  de- 
gree, as  I  had  to  handle  hundreds  of  fowls  in  scaling;  and 
1  noticed  further  that  the  compact,  low-stationed  birds, 
and  those  having  smaller  combs  also,  were  less  active  and 
irritable  than  the  long-necked,  high-built  and  heavv- 
combed  birds. 

Now,  considering  these  points  in  favor  of  rose  combs, 
together  with  less  liability  to  frost,  why  not  introduce 
"rose  combed"  Brown  Leghorns  as  well  as  pea  combed 
Partridge  Cochins?  Well,  a  neighbor  has  them,  whether 
they  are  introduced  to  the  public  favor  or  not,  and  suffice 
it  to  say,  they  breed  equally  as  true  as  Leghorns,  are 
tamer,  and  now  lay  better;  are  heavier,  but  occasionally 
desire  to  sit;  do  not  throw  white  feathers,  nor  have  frozen 
combs,  which  is  saying  much  in  their  favor. 

Rose  Comb  White  Leghorns  were  claimed  to  be 
sports  of  the  Rose  Comb  Browns,  by  some  breeders, 
while  others  maintain  that  they  were  made  by  crossing  a 
rose  comb  white  sport  with  a  White  Hamburg,  Mr.  James 
Forsyth,  of  Owego,  N.  Y.,  having  successfully  made  such 
a  cross  twenty  years  ago.  In  some  strains  the  Ham- 
burg carriage  and  spread  of  tail  are  noticeable,  and  we 
might  add,  the  Hamburg  comb  and  lobes  are  also  in  evi- 
dence. Others  again  assert  that  rose  combs  are  due  to 
the  visual  influence  in  breeding,  among  the  latter  being 
Mr.  Henry  M.  Ladd,  of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  who,  in  the  Sep- 
tember 21,  1901,  issue  of  the  "American  Fancier,"  con- 
tributed the  following  article  on  this  subject: 

I  have  mj'self  produced  as  fine  Rose  Comb  White 
Leghorns  as  you  would  ever  wish  to  see,  simply  by  visual 
influence,  without  the  introduction  of  any  other  blaod 
than  that  of  the  Single  Comb  White  Leghorn  bred  in  line 
for  many  years,  with  never  a  rose  comb  in  it.  How  was 
this  done?  Simply  by  having  a  pen  of  White  Leghorns 
next  to  a  pen  of  White  Wyandottes  in  which  was  a  mag- 
nificent White  Wyandotte  cockerel,  so  beautiful,  so  at- 
tractive and  so  seductive  that  one  at  least  of  the  White 
Leghorn  hens  could  not  keep  her  delighted  eyes  off  from 
him,  and  just  at  the  right  time  when  the  egg  was  being 
endowed  with  life  lie  appeared  in  sight  to  fill  the  eye.  and 
as  a  result  Rose  Comb  White  Leghorns,  perfect  Leghorns 
in  type,  size,  shape  and  everything,  bred  in  single  comb 
line  throughout  a  long  ancestry,  but  topped  off  now  for 
the  first  time  with  a  handsome  rose  comb.  I  have  been 
able  to  produce  several  such  handsome  male  birds,  ob- 
tained solely  in  this  wav.  and  I  am  of  the  opinion  that 
Rose  Comb  White  Leghorns  bred  in  this  way  will  prove 
more  reliable  as  breeders  of  the  rose  comb  variety,  than 
those  originally  obtained  by  a  mixture  of  diflterent  breeds. 
I  believe  them  to  be  very  highly  valuable  birds,  worth 
many  times  what  an  ordinary  rose  comb  is  worth — in  fact, 
I  would  not  have  an  ordinary  rose  comb.  In  this  case  the 
blood  is  pure  and  the  visual  influence  pervasive  and 
deeply  stamping  into  the  very  being  of  the  bird  the  rose 
comb  tendency.  Where  it  is  the  result  of  the  introduction 
of  other  blood  the  rose  comb  tendency  is  only  partial  and 
fractional. 

Rose  Comb  Buff  Leghorns  were  produced  by  cross- 
ing Single  Comb  Buffs  with  Rose  Comb  Leghorns — at 
least,  that  is  the  claim  made  by  some  of  the  early  breeders 
of  the  variety.  But  it  is  generally  believed  that  some  of 
the  eastern  strains  of  Rose  Comb  Buffs  were  made  by 
using  Bufif  Wyandottes  and  Single  Comb  Buff  Leghorns. 
the  large  bodies,  good  color,  heavy  coarse  combs,  and 
almost  reddish  ear  lobes,  indicating  the  blood  of  the 
larger  breed  mentioned — at  least  in  the  specimens  we 
handled  ten  years  ago.  Since  that  time  they  have  been 
toned  down  and  refined  into  true  Leghorn  type. 

Non-Standard  Varieties  of  Leghorns 

There  are  eight  varieties  of  Leghorns  that  are  not 
classed  at  present  among  the  Standard-bred  Leghorns; 
namely.  Cuckoo  or  Dominique,  Blues,  Golden  Duckwing. 
Red  Pyle,  Columbian,  Birchen,  Mottled  or  Spangled,  and 
Rose  Comb  Black.  The  very  latest  variety  is  the  Red 
Leghorn    now    being   perfected    in    this    country.     Of   the 


THE   LEGHORNS 


latter  Red  P}Ie  Leghorns  are  the  most  popular,  especially 
in  England,  where  they  have  been  bred  for  quite  a  num- 
ber of  years.     Of  the 

Origin  of  Red  Pyle  Leghorns 

Mr.  Hcsford,  in  his  book,  "Leghorns  of  All  Varieties," 
presents  the  following  authentic  data: 

Pyle  Leghorns,  unlike  the  varieties  before  mentioned, 
owe  their  origin  to  the  skill  of  an  English  breeder. 
Browns,  Whites,  Blacks,  Cuckoos,  Bufifs,  and  even  Mottles 
are  "foreigners,"  but  the  gorgeous. "Pyle"  is  of  home  man- 
ufacture. This  is,  or  should  be,  a  point  in  its  favor  with 
patriots;  but  perhaps  more  stress  might  be  laid  upon  its 
claim  to  Leghorn  purity.  Bred,  as  we  know  from  the 
originator's  story,  from  Leghorns  exclusively,  it  cannot 
be  dubbed  a  "mongrel,"  although  how  far  this  purity  is 
sustained,  now  it  is  kept  and  exhibited  by  rnany  in  addi- 
tion to  its  originator,  is  a  somewhat  moot  point. 

W'e  have  already  spoken  of  accidents  that  have  led 
to  great  discoveries,  and  we  firmly  believe  that  the  Pyle 
Leghorn  is  a  "discovery"  that  owes  much  to  accident.  It 
must  not  be  thought  that  we  in  any  way  wish  to  disparage 
the  skill  which  was  shown  in  putting  before  the  public  in 
1886  a  new  variety  which  could,  from  an  exhibitor's  point 
of  view,  justly  claim  to  be  described,  both  in  color  shape — • 
viz.,  Pyle  Leghorn.  Nevertheless,  knowing  how  quickly 
the  introduction  of  a  White  Leghorn  cock  amongst  a  pen 
of  hens  of  Black-red  type,  or  even  of  a  reddish-buff  type, 
will  result  in  progeny  passably  "Pyle"  in  color  of  plumage, 
it  requires  no  very  great  stretch  of  imagination  to  think 
that  the  "tip"  was  originally  given  by  an  accidental  stray- 
ing of  either  a  "White"  cock  into  a  "Brown"  pen,  or  vice 
versa.  Be  this  as  it  may.  Mr.  G.  Payne  can  certainly 
claim  to  have  followed  his  idea,  whatever  its  inception, 
to  a  definite  and  valuable  conclusion,  and  the  Pyle  Leg- 
horn now  stands  as  one  of  the  best  of  the  newer  varie- 
ties. 

The  full  history  of  its  manufacture'  is  stated  to  be  as 
follows:  In  1882  Mr.  Payne  mated  a  Brown  Leghorn  hen, 
which  had  two  white  feathers  in  each  wing,  with  a  White 
Leghorn  cock.  Twelve  eggs  only  frorn  this  mating  were 
set,  and  of  the  ten  chicks  hatched,  six  died;  of  the  remain- 
ing four,  three  were  pullets  slightly  ting:ed  on  breast,  but 
otherwise  fairly  white.  In  the  following  year  a  good 
Standard  Brown  cock  was  penned  with  the  three  pullets, 
and  fifty  chicks  bred  from  them.  Unfortunately,  it  was 
found  that  there  was  too  much  color,  and  in  the  wrong 
places.  Most  of  the  pullets  were  sandy-buff  in  color,  with 
ashen-grey  tails,  while  the  cockerels  had  a  few  orange- 
colored  feathers  on  back,  wings  and  thighs. 

In  1884  the  largest  and  'arkest  of  the  1883  pullets 
were  mated  with"  a  White  cock,  in  order,  as  Mr.  Payne 
states,  to  banish  body  color.  The  result  was  not  very  en- 
couraging, for  out  of  seventy  chicks  no  cockerels  of  any 
merit  were  discovered;  there  being  only  seven  pullets, 
moreover,  clear  on  back  and  tail.  These  latter,  however, 
were  not  dark  enough  in  breast. 

In  1885  a  Brown  cock  was  mated  with  six  1884  pullets 
and  ten  1883  hens  of  the  lightest  shade.  Of  the  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  chicks  hatched,  one  cockerel  alone  was 
saved,  and  he  a  very  poor  specimen;  while  of  the  pullets, 
two,  as  well  as  the  cockerel,  were  shown  at  the  Leghorn, 
Plymouth  Rock  and  y\ndalusian  Club  Show,  held  at  Al- 
bert Palace.  January,  1886.  The  cockerel  scored  nothing, 
but  the  pullets  were  awarded  second  and  third,  the  first 
prize  going  to  a  Cuckoo. 

In  1886  the  Pyle  cockerel  was  mated  with  three  Pyle 
bred  Brown  pullets  of  a  bluish  slate  color,  two  others  of 
the  Pyle  color  (but  too  much  of  it),  and  two  winning  Al- 
bert Palace  pullets.  From  this  mating  there  resulted  a 
fairly  large  percentage  of  well-marked  birds. 

In  ISSr  the  chicks  were  principally  bred  from  the  1886 
cock  (winner  of  first  Dairy)  and  another  winning  cock 
and  ten  hens. 

The  above  is  a  somewhat  condensed  form  of  Mr. 
Payne's  description  of  his  labors  down  to  1887,  since 
which  time  the  breed  has  been  fostered  by  many  others, 
with  the  result  that  now  "like  begets  like." 

It  will  be  seen  that  Leghorns,  and  Leghorns  only, 
were  used  in  the  manufacturing  process;  but  the  length 
of  leg  and  general  hardness  of  feathers  seen  in  some  of 
the  recent  winning  pullets  suggests  a  cross  of  Pyle  Game, 


and  we  have  distinct  recollections  of  profusely-feathered 
legs  on  a  cockerel  exhibited  at  the  Palace  Show  of  1894. 
It  will  be  instructive  now  to  closely  compare  our  color 
theories  with  the  progress  and  result  of  the  matings  re- 
corded above  from  1882  to  1887,  in  order  to  see  in  what 
way  the  record  of  experience  justifies  our  conclusions, 
and  how  far  our  conclusions  may  appear  antagonistic  to 
the  statements  of  "the  originator." 

The  "mother  of  the  race,"  it  appears,  had  white  feath- 
ers in  each  wing.  This,  as  we  have  seen,  at  once  pro- 
claims lack  of  pigment;  in  other  words,  a  pronounced  ten- 
dency to  "albinism."  A  White  cock  is  mated  with  her, 
thus  intensifying  the  tendency.  Result— chicks  almost 
white:  red  pigment  reduced,  but  not  destroyed,  on  breast. 
The  following  year  sees  an  infusion  of  red  and  black 
pigment  by  using  a  Brown  cock  with  these  "light  Pyle" 
pullets.  Result  should  be — cockerels  with  reddish  hackles, 
back  and  wings;  splashed  breast,  underparts,  and  tail. 
Pullets,  very  patchy  and  ruddy  everywhere  except  tails, 
which  should  be  a  dirty  ashen  grey. 

The  following  year  fairly  good  cockerels  and  pullets 
should  be  easily  bred  by  (as  was  done)  the  use  of  a  White 
cock.  The  originator,  it  will  be  noted, -says  the  White 
cock  was  used  to  banish  body  color,  a  process  which  we 
have  shov/n  to  be  inevitable  if  a  good  "Albino"  is  utilized. 
But  here  we  are  somewhat  checked,  for  it  appears  that 
no  good  cockerels  were  bred,  and  the  pullets  were  again 
too  "light  in  breast.  It  may  be  that  the  undercolor  of  the 
Brown  cock  used  in  1883  was  not  as  dense  as  it  might 
have  been;  but  we  cannot  but  think  that,  with  care  in  se- 
lection, the  time  in  which  Pyles  were  produced  might  have 
been  considerably  reduced. 

The  successive  stages,  however,  all  conform  to  our 
theories;  and  it  may  be  instanced  how  pertinacious  the 
red  pigment  in  the  hackles,  both  of  cocks  and  hens,  is, 
even  though  the  black  pigment  is,  with  the  exception  of 
a  few  ticks  in  tail,  almost  entirely  destroyed.  Examine 
the  neck  hackle  of  both  sexes,  and  observe  that  the  black 
stripe  in  the  hackles  of  Browns  has  given  place  to  white; 
while  the  fringing  of  light  golden  yellow  and  of  orange 
red  in  the  hackles  respectively  of  Pyle  hens  and  cocks  is 
always  found  though  varying  in  tint.  Observe  further, 
that  where  the  rusty  red  feathers  appear  on  the  wings  of 
Brown  hens,  in  a  similar  position  will  they  be  found  on 
many  Pyle  hens,  causing  the  birds  to  be  described  as 
"rosy-winged." 

Needless  to  say,  the  amalgamation  of  two  different 
strains,  viz..  Whites  and  Browns,  made  their  progeny  very 
hardy  and  strong.  Pyle  Leghorns,  however,  do  not  ma- 
ture quite  so  early  as  the  other  varieties.  They  are  sur- 
prisingly docile,  are  excellent  layers,  and  make  fairly  good 
table  birds. 

Origin  of  Dominique  Leghorns 

Dominique,  or  Cuckoo  Leghorns,  started  in  on  the 
Leghorn  wave  of  popularity,  being  recognized  as  a  Stand- 
ard variety  as  early  as  1874.  But  they  never  became  pop- 
ular and  eventually,  in  1898,  were  dropped  from  the  Amer- 
ican Standard  of  Perfection,  and  are  rarely  seen  at  Amer- , 
ican  shows  today.  In  England  they  are  still  recognized 
and  bred  as  Cuckoo  Leghorns'.  Those  that  we  saw  years 
ago  were  coarser  in  comb,  smaller  in  body,  and  less  grace- 
ful in  shape,  than  the  other  varieties,  the  plumage  also 
being  anything  but  attractive — the  dark  gray  and  white 
barring  being  very  irregular,  and  white  feathers  on  tail 
and  wings  being  serious  defects.  That  they  might  have 
been  developed  into  a  nicely  barred  Leghorn,  there  can 
be  no  doubt  of,  but  breeders  somehow  had  eyes  for  just 
one  barred  plumaged  breed;  namely,  the  Barred  Ply- 
mouth Rock;  so  other  breeds  of  similar  color  of  plumage 
fell  by  the  wayside,  including  the  once  very  popular  and 
useful   American    Dominique. 

The  origin  of  the  Dominique  or  Cuckoo  Leghorn  is 
shrouded  in  mystery.  Mr.  Ayres  referred  to  them  as  the 
progenitors  of  the  Black  Leghorns — not  at  all  improbable 
or  impossible — but  how,  where  and  when  these  Quaker 
garbed  Mediterranean  fowls  came,  no  reliable  data  is 
available. 


22 


THE   LEGHORNS 


Harry  Hesford,  in  his  book,  "Leghorns  of  All  Va- 
rieties," London,  England,  1896,  devotes  a  chapter  to 
Cuckoo  Leghorns,  from  which  we  extract  the  following 
remarks  bearing  upon  their  early  history. 

Having  treated  of  the  White  and  Brown  varieties  of 
the  Leghorn  family,  there  now  remains  for  consideration 
those  sections  which  are  usually  grouped  together  as 
minor  varieties. 

Keeping  strictly  to  the  chronological  order,  apart 
from  considerations  of  importance  or  popularity.  Cuckoo 
Leghorns  will  first  come  under  review.  Black  Leghorns, 
however,  are  generally  considered  to  have  appeared  in 
England  contemporaneously  with  "Cuckoos,"  and  it  may 
be  taken  that  most  probably  they  were  imported  from  the 
Continent  at  the  same  time.  Both  varieties,  it  may  be 
well  to  state,  had  been  known  in  Denmark  for  a  long 
period  before  their  first  appearance  in  England,  and  we 
find  at  the  Copenhagen  Show,  held  on  July  3rd,  1885, 
amongst  the  124  Leghorns  penned,  nine  pens  of  "Black" 
and  two  of  "Cuckoos."  Be  that  as  it  may,  the  first  re- 
corded instance  of  the  appearance  of  "Cuckoos"  in  the 
show  pen  in  England  we  have  been  able  to  trace,  was  at 
the  first  club  show  of  the  Leghorn,  Plymouth  Rock  and 
Andalusian  Club.  At  this  show  held  at  Cheltenham  in 
January,  1885,  a  Miss  Fowler  showed  three  pens  of 
Cuckoos  in  the  "Any  Other  Variety"  (other  than  Browns 
and  Whites)  class,  winning  second  and  third  prizes.  Since 
that  time  Cuckoo  Leghorns  have  been  occasionally  seen 
in  the  show^  pen,  but  they  are  not,  and  never  have  been, 
extensively  cultivated. 

The  Cuckoo  Leghorn  of  England,  to  judge'  by  the 
above  records,  is  not  destined  to  become  popular,  and  is 
more  likely  to  join  the  Dominique  Leghorn  and  enter  in 
the  "breeds  that  failed  to  make  good"  class. 

Spangled    Leghorns 

Donald  Watson  mentions  such  a  variety  of  Leghorns 
in  "The  Poultry  World,"  December,  1874,  giving  the  fol- 
lowing information  regarding  them: 

Spangled  Leghorns  were,  so  far  as  I  know,  first  bred 
in  this  country  in  1872,  from  Italian  stock  imported  in 
1871,  and  from  this  start  have  attracted  great  attention, 
many  pronouncing  them  superior  in  beauty  to  any  other 
of  the  Leghorn  tribe,  and  all  who  have  bred  them  ex- 
tolling their  vigor,  early  maturity,  and  wonderful  laying 
qualities. 

The  plumage  is  pure  brilliant  black  and  white,  each 
feather  (excepting  primaries  and  secondaries,  which  are 
entirely  black)  being  white  tipped  instead  of  the  reverse, 
as  in  Silver-spangled  Hamburgs.  The  ear  lobe  is  white, 
comb  perfectly  erect  and  five  lobed  in  cock,  lopping  finely 
in  hen;  ber.k,  skin,  and  leg,  bright  yellow.  The  birds  seem 
to  l)reed  very  true,  one  breeder  claiming  (and,  I  think, 
with  justice),  that  4-5  will  come  true  to  feather.  Certain 
fanciers,  perceiving  the  futuie  importance  of  this  breed, 
have  attempted  to  produce  an  imitation  by  crossing 
Black  and  White  Leghorns.  We  can  say  that,  in  every 
case  that  has  come  to  our  knowledge,  the  experiment  has 
been  a  total  failure.  Nearly  all  the  offspring  of  the  first 
cross  have  been  almost  or  entirely  white,  often  with  dark 
legs  and  bills — a  measly  mixture.  When  black  and  white 
feathers  have  appeared,  they  have  usually  been  black- 
tipped,  thus  showing  that  the  true  spangled  bird  is  not 
the  result  of  a  cross. 

In  England  this  variety  was  formerly  called  "Mottled 
Leghorns,"  but  is  now  recognized  there  by  the  name  of 
Anconas.  The  latter  are  becoming  very  popular  in  this 
country,  but  are  not  recognized  as  a  Leghorn  variety,  but 
as  a  distinct  breed  belonging  to  the  Mediterranean  class. 

Birchen  Leghorns 

None  of  this  variety  has  been  exhibited  in  America, 
that  we  are  aware  of,  and  few  have  been  seen  in  England, 
to  judge  by  the  following  remarks  of  Mr.  Hesford  in  his 
Leghorn  book: 


We  have  also  personally  seen  Birchen  Leghorns,  but 
we  doubt  whether  half  a  score  of  representatives  of  this 
variety  exist,  or  have  existed  at  one  time,  although  we 
have  seen  for  some  years  an  advertisement  offering  birds 
and  eggs  of  the  breed  for  sale. 

This  was  written  in  1896,  but  since  then  very  little  has 
been  written  on  Birchens;  neither  do  we  find  them  adver- 
tised in  recent  English  poultry  journals.  The  origin  of 
Birchen  Leghorns  is  not  given,  but  that  they  were  se- 
lected from  Silver  Duckwing  Leghorn-Brown-Red  Game 
crosses  seems  probable.  Birchen  Leghorn  males  have  the 
Duckwing  hackle,  saddle  and  wing  marking,  differing  only 
in  the  color  of  the  breast,  the  feathers  of  the  latter,  in- 
stead of  being  black,  as  in  the  Duckwing,  are  black  laced 
with  white,  in  the  Birchen.  In  the  females  the  neck 
is  silvery  white,  the  hackle  feathers  being  striped  with 
black;  back,  tail,  wings,  body  and  thighs  are  black,  but 
breast  feathers  are  black  laced  with  white.  This  variety 
is  a  handsome  one,  and  once  it  is  firmly  established  in  its 
color  markings,  should  not  be  difficult  to  breed. 

Blue  Leghorns 

"Bred  and  made  in  England"  applies  to  the  blue  va- 
riety of  Leghorn.  Crossing  White  and  Black  Leghorns 
was  probably  the  easiest  means  applied  to  obtain  these 
blue  birds.  They  are  like  Andalusians  in  color  markings, 
diiTering  only  in  the  color  of  the  shanks,  which  are  yellow 
instead  of  slate  or  black,  and,  like  Andalusians,  they  do 
not  reproduce  the  color  in  their  progeny  in  over  sixty  per 
cent,  of  the  latter,  although  some  English  breeders  claim 
that  their  strains  produce  80  per  cent.  Standard  colored 
chickens.  From  a  fancier's  standpoint.  Blue  Leghorns 
should  prove  very  attractive. 

Golden  Duckwing  Leghorns 

This  variety  differs  only  in  the  color  of  hackle,  back, 
saddle  and  wing  bow  of  the  male,  from  the  Silver  variety, 
the  females  of  both  varieties  being  alike  in  color  mark- 
ings, with  the  exception,  rarely  noticed,  of  the  Silver 
Duckwing  females,  having  a  very  slight  lacing  of  light  sil- 
very gray  on  the  feathers  of  the  body.  Golden  Duckwing 
Leghorns  are  the  result  of  crossing  a  Brown  Leghorn 
male  with  a  Silver  Duckwing  female.  The  color  sections 
of  the  males  are:  Neck,  creamy-white',  fading  to  ivory 
white  at  bar  of  hackle;  outside  feathers  finely  and  clearly 
striped  with  black,  the  stripe  broadest  at  the  base  of  the 
hackle;  back,  bright  gold,  dark  at  shoulders,  shading  to 
light  straw  at  beginning  of  saddle  hangers,  latter  being 
very  light  straw  color  shading  to  ivory  white,  lightly 
striped  with  black.  Wing  bow,  light,  bright  gold,  not  red 
or  dark  orange,  but  yellow  or  light  orange,  solid  and  even, 
any  mixture  of  lighter  or  darker  feathers  being  objection- 
able. Wing  bar,  blue  black;  wing  bay,  white.  Breast,  tail 
and  underparts,  black. 

Rose  Comb  Black  Leghorns 

A  comparatively  new  variety  which  originated  in 
ngland,  and  in  which  country  it  is  evidently  quite  pop- 
ular in  some  quarters.  Being  the  result  of  Hamburg-Black 
1  Leghorn  cross.  Rose  Comb  Black  Leghorns  resemble 
'  Black  Hamburgs  too  closely,  to  ever  become  popular  with 
fanciers.  As  a  utility  fowl  it  may  prove  a  desirable  addi- 
!  tion  to  the  white  egg   laying  races  of  poultry. 


I 


CHAPTER  II 


Evolution  of  Leghorn  Type 


Studies  of    Shape  Characteristics  of    Le^hc 
Standard  Type  From  1874  to   1905. 


at    Different    Periods  of   Their  Development.     lUastratio 
iportant  Changes  in  Carriage  of  Tail  and  Length  of  Back. 


LENGTH  of  neck  and  limbs,  size  and  character  of 
comb,  and  carriage  and  spread  of  tail  have  been 
among  the  main  points  of  controversy  and  change 
of  fashion,  and  it  is  interesting  indeed  to  study  in  the 
portraits  of  prize  v^'inners,  among  modern  Leghorns,  how 
the  type  has  progressed. 

A  study  of  the  type  of  the  Watson  (No.  8)  pair  of 
Brown  Leghorns  is  sufficient  to  impel  acceptance  of  the 
statement  that  the  early  Brown  Leghorns  averaged  about 
sne-half  pound  heavier  than  the  white  variety.  This  pair 
certainly  impress  us  as  heavier  than  the  following  plate 
of  White  Leghorns. 

There  is  just  a  touch  in  the  conformation  of  the  type 
illustrated  in  this  pair  that  suggests  Spanish — the  length 
of  keel  bone,  the  nearly  parallel  lines  of  the  back  and  the 
long  breast,  besides  the  form  of  tail  proper,  the  lower 
feathers  being  so  much  shorter  than  those  at  the  top. 

Comparing  this  picture  with  the  following  reproduc- 
tion of  the  pair  illustfating  "Eureka"  and  "Snowflake," 
published  in  1873,  by  J.  Boardman  Smith,  of  North  Haven. 
Conn.,  we  at  once  recognize  the  well  rounded  breast  and 
spread  of  tail  so  much  valued  and  admired  i;i  Leghorns  of 
today.  The  male  especially,  in  this  pair,  exhibits  the  lower 
feathers  of  tail  proper  nearly  or  quite  three-fourths  the 
length  of  the  upper  pair.  The  saddle  is  also  profusely  fur- 
n-shed  in  true  Leghorn  style  as  fancied  nowadays. 

These  early  wood  engravings  of  the  breed  show  the 
characteristic  sprightliness  of  the  race  with  their  proud 
high-headed  carriage.  The  alert  pose  of  head  in  the  cock 
of  the  J.  Boardman  Smith  plate  is  full  of  Leghorn  expres- 
sion t(5  one  acquainted  with  the  spirit  of  these  birds. 

In  the  Watson  pair  of  Brown  Leghorns  an  important 
difiference  from  the  white  plate  (9)  that  follows  is 
the  rather  level  body  in  the  Browns  as  compared  to  the 
more  upright  carriage  of  the  Whites.  This  over  erect,  or 
slanting  body,  is  a  feature  in  the  carriage  of  the  breed 
which  fanciers  particular  about  symmetry  have   carefully 


selected  to  modify  by  mating  together  those  more  level  in 
carriage  of  body.  The  appearance  of  this  has  been  ap- 
proached by  birds  possessing  considerable  length  of 
saddle,  with  plumage  furnishings  that  extend  the  lines  of 
the  back  in  a  graceful  sweep  onto  the  tail  coverts. 

The  Leghorn  in  America  has  always  been  greatly  ad- 
mired for  its  gracefully  turned  curves  of  outline,  and  any 


approach  to  an  angular  coarseness  has  been  discouraged 
by  the  majority  of  exhibiting  fanciers.  This  ideal  of 
curves  has  applied  equally  to  the  rounded  bieast,  the 
nicely  turned  form  of  the  shoulders  and  thighs,  and  the 
profuse  tiow  of  plumage  over  the  entire  bird  that  helps  so 
much  to  blend  all  sections  together. 

The  sharp  angle  caused  by  the  over  erect  tail  at  its 
juncture  with  the  saddle,  has,  since  our  first  acquaintance 
with  the  breed  in  the  70's  been  a  matter  for  toleration.  In 
the  first  "American  Standard  of  Excellence"  of  1874,  no 
mention  of  squirrel  tail  is  made  in  the  disqualifications  for 
Leghorns.  In  this  standard  the  description  of  the  car- 
riage of  tail  for  the  male  of  the  brown  variety  is  "up- 
right" and  for  the  white  is  "very  upright." 

Plate  No.  10  illustrates  the  Leghorn  type  as  a  well 
known  judge  recognized  the  style  of  White  Leghorn^  in 
1S74.  At  that  time  Mr.  Pierce  was  a  fancier  and  breeder 
of  this  variety  of  the  breed,  and  it  no  doubt  well  illustrates 
some  of  the  best  obtainable  at  that  date. 

Not  until  the  1898  edition  of  the  Standard,  where 
"General  Disqualifications"  are  referred  to  for  Leghorns, 
is  "squirrel  tail"  made  a  definite  disqualification  for  the 
ill-bred  Leghorn  that  carries  his  tail  "in  squirrel  fashion." 

It  has  been  asserted  that  height  in  the  carriage  of  tail 
is  an  indication  of  vigor.  If  this  were  true,  then  the  Jap- 
anese Bantam  should  class  first  in  point  of  vigor,  and  the 
.\seel  among  the  inferior.  However,  these  prove  wrong 
examples  to  establish  such  a  rule;  in  fact,  appear  to  dis- 

23 


24 


THE   LEGHORNS 


^ 


prove  such  a  conclusion.  Langshans  carry  the  tail  at  a 
high  angle,  Sumatra  Games  carry  theirs  quite  low,  and 
both  class  high  in  the  scale  as  egg  producers  and  breeds 
of  exceptional  vigor. 

Leghorn  experts  in  convention  with  the  revision  com- 
mittee of  the  American  Poultry  .Association  in  1893,  de- 
cided upon  forty-five  degrees  as  the  most  desirable  ele- 
vation for  carriage  of  tail  of  Leghorn  males,  and  forty 
degrees  for  carriage  of  the  tail  of  the  female. 

The  Leghorn  race  first  reached  .America  frotn  Italy, 
and  was  from  here  taken  to  England.  Mr.  Lewis  Wright, 
for  many  years  the  great  English  authority  on  poultry, 
appears  to  accept  the  Leghorn  as  a  branch  of  the  Spanish 
family,  and  many  fanciers  of  England  have  made  their 
selections  as  considering  it  of  that  class.     The   late  con- 

Ntroversy  on  the  Leghorn  type  appearing  in  British  poul- 
ftry  journals,  plainly  emphasizes  that  many  breeders  there 
Vstill  desire  to  breed  it  as  a  Spanish  variety.  Mr.  Lud- 
;Jow,  who  has  always  stood  first  in  portraying  the  British 

/ideals  in  poultry,  plainly  shows  what  the  White  Leghorn 


was  in  England  in  1876-7.  At  the  time  when  we  first  be- 
came acquainted  with  the  strains  of  Leghorns  in  the 
East  in  the  early  90's,  there  were  exhibited  three  fashions 
in   Leghorns. 

The  sketch  of  the  first  prize  cock  at  New  York,  in 
1890,  (Plate  12)  was  made  at  the  first  show  in  the  new 
Madison  Square  Garden.  This  bird  was  winner  of  special 
for  most  typical  Leghorn  male  in  the  show  and  represents 
the  finest  show  type  in  males  previous  to  the  selection  for 
the  fashion  of  low  tails  and  longer  saddles.  This  fully 
matured  cock  showed  nicely  rounded  body  lines,  well  bal- 
anced on  fine  boned  limbs  of  length  proportioned  to  the 
body  and  other  sections.  Head  fine,  comb,  wattles  and 
ear-lobes  close  to  the  description  of  our  present  Standard. 
The  body  is  rather  toward  the  level  now  desired,  and  the 
saddle  plumage  is  long  and  profuse.  The  tail  is  not  so  high 
as  in  those  illustrated  in  the  early  70's,  although  a  good 
deal  higher  than  the  forty-five  degrees  demanded  by  the 
present  Standard.  This  cock  was  one  of  good  size,  ele- 
gant style,  show  temperament,  and  such  a  bird  as  was  al- 
most sure  of  winning  anywhere  at  that  time. 

Another  family  were  those  bred  and  shown  by  Ezra 
Cornell  and  Willard  Knapp,  afterward  owned  alone  by 
Ezra  Cornell,  and  finally,  (after  the  death  of  Ezra  Cornell) 


sold  to  Mr.  E.  G.  Wyckoflf,  of  Ithaca,  N.  Y.  This  strain 
produced  quite  a  number  of  the  style  which  later,  during 
the  90's,  made  a  number  of  good  winnings  and  gained 
quite  a  degree  of  popularity.  They  had  clear,  white  plum- 
age, nice  heads,  and  were  peculiar  in  being  of  unusual 
length  of  limb.     This  latter  feature  distinguished  a  num- 


that 


Madison 


ber  of  show  birds  of    this 
Square  Garden  and  other  shows. 

One  of  the  most  common  failings  with  fowls  selected 
to  a  type  with  long  legs  appears  always  to  be  that  the 
li.Tck  slopes  and  the  breast  fails  in  depth.     In  the  practical 


12— Wlnnei  of  first  and  special  foi  most 
tvpical  Leghorn  male  at  Madison  Square 
Garden  in  1S90  Owned  by  Knapp  Bro= 
of  Fabius,   N    1 


poultry  yards  where  Leghorns  have  been  kept  in  large 
numbers  for  production  of  eggs,  many  assert  that  the 
medium  sized  birds  on  legs  of  moderate  proportions, 
prove  the  most  productive  and  profitable.  However,  there 
have  been  others  who  desire  those  of  a  somewhat  larger 
type,   so  that  in  exhibitions  there  are  apt  to.  be  differing 


REPRESENTATIVE    TYPES    OF    WHITE    LEGHORNS. 

Reading  from  left  to  right:  13— Ezra  Cornell's  first  prize  winning  White  cock.  New  York,  1901.  14— First  cockerel  Pan- 
American  Exposition,  1901.  Purchased  by  White  Leghorn  Poultry  Yards,  of  Waterville.  N.  Y.  15— First  cock  Pan-American 
Exposition.  1901.  Purchased  by  E.  G.  Wyckoff,  Ithaca,  N.  Y.  16— A  first  Boston  (1902)  cockerel,  shown  by  CJiarles  J  Fogg, 
Waltham,    Mass.      17— A    Hrst    prize    Chicago    cock,    shown    by    White  Leghorn  Poultry   Yards,   1905. 


\V.    Wliiti 


y   first   hon- 
much  corn- 


opinions  between  breeders  and  that  judges  will  not  al- 
ways agree  in  their  decisions.  The  truest  Leghorn  sym- 
metry as  it  is  accepted  among  American  fanciers,  has  not 
been  secured  where  size  or  length  of  limbs  were  prime; 
factors  for  picking  the  winners. 

No.  13  was  a  first  cock  at  Madison  Square  Garden 
exhibited  by  Ezra  Cornell  in  1901.  This  bird  and  the  cock- 
erel and  cock  (No.  14  and  No.  15)  which  follow  in  the 
same  group,  are  good  representatives  of  this  type,  which 
appeared  somewhat  stilted.  The.-e  birds  were  larger  and 
somewhat  heavier  than  the  majority  of  Leghorns  in 
America  excepting  the  strain  shown  by  V 
about  that  time. 

Mr.  Whiting's  White  Leghorns  won  n; 
CIS  in  New  York  and  Boston  shows  and  ws 
mented  upon.  They  were  of  unusual  size,  larger  than  any 
other  strains  of  Leghorns  in  America  with  coinbs  and  a 
number  of  points  a  trifle  coarser  than  specimens  that 
could  not  approach  them  in  size.  Their  appearance  had  a 
wholesome  influence  upon  the  Leghorns  as  a  breed,  set- 
ting the  example  which  iv.ade  small  Leghorns  unpopular. 

On  examination  of  these  three  plates  one  at  once  per- 
ceives that  these  birds  were  closely  feathered,  giving  them 
the  well  tucked  up  appearance  underneath,  which,  in  the 
minds  of  many  fanciers,  is  desirable.  This  quality  does 
present  a  smartness  when  the  limbs  of  the  fowl  are  very 
well  formed  and  when  not  overdone,  and  helps  the  showy 
style  of  the  Leghorn.  This  closeness  of  plumige,  how- 
€ver,  throughout  the  entire  figure  of  the  specimen,  often 
fails  to  present  the  gracefully  curved  lines  that  a  little 
fuller  undercoat  and  a  greater  wealth  of  outer  plumage 
would  effect.  Angular  lines  on  the  Leghorn  have  never 
kept  long  in  vogue  among  American  fanciers;  it  is  the 
Leghorn  of  graceful  curves  that  lives  on  as  the  ideal  of 
■our  leading  breeders  of  this  race  of  fowls. 


The  present  practice  of  selecting  for  as  large  size  as 
obtainable,  among  Leghorns  that  possess  known  purity  of 
blood,  and,  as  near  as  possible,  ideal  form  and  carriage, 
proves  the  safest  course.  There  seems  to  be  a  liipit  in 
this  procedure,  and  the  breeders  of  America  have  learned 
that  progress  in  size  of  the  Leghorn  cannot  be  attained 
too  rapidly.  Yet  we  believe  that  the  majority  of  our 
breeders  in  this  country  are  quite  willing  to  improve  size 
in  the  breed,  just  as  long  as  the  true  Leghorn  ideal  is 
reproduced,  but  this,  in  fact,  means  very  cautious,  accurate 
breeding,  and  slow  improvement,  which  is  the  only  safe 
system  with  such  a  fine,  pure  old  race. 

In  cockerel  No.  16  we  have  a  model  that  shows  con- 
siderable above  the  average  size.  This  cockerel  was  pro- 
duced when  both  the  full-boned  type,  bred  by  Knapp 
Bros.,  also  by  D.  W.  Young  and  others,  as  well  as  when 
the  F.  W.  Whiting  birds  were  making  things  interesting 
in  the  eastern  sliow  rooms.  This  cockerel  was  shown  by 
Mr.  Chas.  J.  Fogg,  of  Waltham,  Mass.,  winning  first  at 
Boston  in  1902. 

This  cockerel  in  appearance  was  a  type,  which,  blend- 
ing the  D.  W.  Young  strain  with  the  F.  W.  Whiting  stock, 
might  have  produced,  and  is  a  very  useful  style. 

Another  type.  No.  17,  makes  quite  a  variation  from 
the  Ezra  Cornell  models.  The  long  tail  with  extended 
ribbon-like  sickles  reminds  one  of  the  Duckwing  Leg- 
horns that  contain  quite  a  strong  cross  of  the  Phoenix,  or 
Long-tailed  Japanese  race  of  Games.  It  is  surprising  to 
find  that  although  this  bird  has  very  unusually  long  sickles 
and  hangers,  that  its  saddle  hackles  do  not  extend  even  to 
a  length  equaling  the  preceding  cockerel;  in  this  case 
being  an  exception  to  the  rule,  as  most  Leghorns  having 
extia  well-finished  tail  plumage,  have  also  the  long  saddle 
hackles. 


Standard  Shape  of  Leghorns 


Shape  Oatlines  for  Leghorns,  Male  and  Female,  Sabmiited  to  Prominent  Breeders  for  Criticism  and  Appro-* 
—  National  Single  Comb  White  Leghorn  Glob  Ideal  Sketches  of  Male  and  Female— Illnstrations, 
Like  Those  in  the  Standard  of  Perfection,  Also  Meet  with  Criticism 


Bd« 


Clubs, 
?oing 


[E  standard  shape  of  Leghorns  as  illustrated  in  the 
American  Standard  of  Perfection,  has  been  criti- 
cised adversely  by  members  of  Leghorn  Specialty 
the   National   Single    Comb    White    Leghorn    Club 

so  far  as  to  repudiate  the  Standard  illustrations  by 


Ideal  Male  Leghorn  Type. 

The  above  illustration  is  reproduced  from  the  National  Single  Comb 
White  Leghorn  Club  catalogue  of  1911.  by  courtesy  of  F.  O.  Groesbeck,  Secre- 
tary. This  sketch  is  submitted  by  the  Club  as  the  highest  possible  conceiv- 
able type  of  the  Leghorn  male.  This  drawing  was  especially  designed  by 
Franklane  .L.  Sewell  for  the  Club,  the  members  of  the  latter  claiming  that 
the  ideal  as  adopted  by  the  revision  committee  of  the  American  Standard  of 
Perfection,  differs  from  the  ideal  of  Leghorn  breeders  in  general. 


instructing  Mr.  Sewell  to  make  new  sketches  which  pur- 
port to  be  the  ideal  shape  of  the  male  and  female  Leghorn 
as  favored  by  the  National  Single  Comb  White  Leghorn 
Club. 

These  Club  sketches  are  reprinted  on  this  and  the  oppo- 
site page,  by  courtesy  of  F.  O.  Groesbeck,  Secretary  of  the 
National  Single  Comb  White  Leghorn  Club,  who  kindly 
furnished  the  original  half-tone  plates  for  use  in  this  book. 
The  fact  that  these  Club  sketches  are  also  meeting 
with    adverse   criticisms   by   Leghorn    breeders,   who    .ire 

•26 


non-members,  clearly  points  out  the  difficulties  that  con- 
front framers  of  the  Standard  and  delineators  of  standard- 
bred  poultry  in  preparing  the  text  and  the  illustrations. 
.Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  te.xt  was  satisfactory  to 
Leghorn  breeders,  and  the  illustrations  were  accepted  as 
correct  at  the  St.  Louis  meeting  of  the 
.'Kmerican  Poultry  Association.  White  Leg- 
horn breeders  of  the  east,  immediately 
after  the  1910  Standard  appeared,  kicked 
over  the  traces,  and  started  to  create  ideals 
of  their  own.  That  these  Club  ideals  do 
not  strictly  conform  to  the  word  description 
in  the  Standard  will  be  manifest  to  all  Leg- 
horn breeders  who  carefully  study  the 
shape  sections  of  these  illustrations. 

That  the  Standard  shape  of  the  male 
and  female  Leghorn  does  not  meet  the  re- 
quirements in  all  sections  as  printed  in  the 
word  description  of  the  American  Standard 
of  Perfection  is  also  true.  In  order  to  ar- 
rive at  a  better  understanding  among  Leg- 
horn breeders  as  to  what  the  ideal  male  and 
female  should  be  in  shape.  Artist  A.  O. 
Schilling  was  instructed  to  make  the  stand- 
ard shape  outlines  for  male  and  female  il- 
lustrated in  the  plate  shown  on  page  2S. 

These  outline  sketches  were  printed  in 
the  American  Poultry  World  and  Reliable 
Poultry  Journal  in  May  and  June,  1911; 
copies  were  also  sent  to  prominent  Legliorn 
breeders  for  criticism  and  approval. 

The  following  breeders  and  judges 
sent  in  replies: — 

Wm.  H.  Heil,  Easton,  Pa.,  Buff  Leg- 
horns. 

Geo.  L.  Hornbrook,  Decatur,  111..  S.  C. 
Brown  Leghorns. 

O.  T.  Hallman,  Charlotte,  N.  C,  S.  C. 
White  Leghorns. 

Geo.  B.  Ferris,  Grand  Rapids,  Mich  .  S. 
C.  White  Leghorns. 

Elmer  V.  Shultz,  Webster  Groves.  Mo., 
S.  C.  Brown  Leghorns. 

Lewis  T.  McLean,  Shushan,  X.  Y., 
White  Leghorns. 

N.  V.  Fogg,  Mt.  Sterling,  Ky.,  S.  C. 
White  Leghorns. 

Harmon    Bradshaw,    Lebanon,   Ind.,    S. 
C.  White  Leghorns. 
Fred  H.  Cook,  Beaver,  Pa.,  S.  C.  Brown  Leghorns. 
L.  E.  Merihew,  Marathon,  N.  Y.,  S.  C.  Buflf  Leghorns. 
P.  R.  Pfouts,  Bucyrus,  Ohio,  S.  C.  White  Leghorns. 
G.  J.  Gerber,  Dalton,  Ohio,  S.  C.  White  Leghorns. 
J.  N.  Coflfman,  Edinburg,  Va.,  S.  C.  Buff  Leghorns. 
Edward   W.    Phelps,     Guilford,     Conn.,    R.    C.    Brown 
Leghorns. 

O.  S.  Gehrman,  Omaha.  Nebr.,  S.  C.  Brown  Leghorns. 
J.  H.  Henderson,  Kno.wille,  Tenn.,  S.  C.   Brown  Leg- 


THE   LEGHORNS 


27 


A.  J.  Murphy,  Sewickley,  Pa.,  S.  C.  White  Leghorns. 
Leon  C.  Huntington,  Omaha,  Nebr.,  S.  C.  White  Leg- 
horns. 

A.  T.  Lindgren,  Kingsburg,  Cal. 

F.  R.  Merk,  Rocky  Ford,  Colo.,  S.  C.  White  Leghorns. 

Yesterlaid  Egg  Farms  Company,  R.  C.  Lawry,  Mgr., 
Pacific,  Mo.,  S.  C.  White  Leghorns. 

R.  A.  Alexander,  Wheeling,  W.  Va.,  S.  C.  Brown  Leg- 
horns. 

F.  D.  Rogers,  Elgin,  III.,  White  Leghorns. 

Dr.  F.  M.  Reed,  Wyanet,  111.,  R.  C.  Brown  Leg- 
horns. 

W.  R.  Curtiss  &  Co.,  Ransomville,  N.  Y.,  S.  C.  White 
Leghorns. 

W.  A.  Bode,  Fairhaven,  Pa.,  S.  C. 
White  Leghorns. 

F.  C.  Gutknecht,  Cedar  Falls,  la.,  S.  C. 
Brown  Leghorns. 

G.  Schimke,  So.  Hadley  Falls.,  Mass., 
S.  C.  Brown  Leghorns. 

W.  W.  Kulp,  Pottstown,  Pa.,  R.  C. 
Brown  Leghorns. 

E.   A.   Vosburgh,    East    Canaan,   Conn.,       ') 
S.  C.  Buff  Leghorns. 

E.    E.    Endsley,  Uniontown,   Pa.,   S.   C.       i 
Brown  Leghorns.  l': 

Jos.    Reiff,   Fayetteville,   Pa.,    R.   and   S.       j, 
C.  Wliite  Leghorns.  f' 

J.  Leroy  Cunningham,  Indiana,  Pa.,  S. 
C.  White  Leghorns. 

Clarence   Hewes,   Indianapolis,    Ind. 

C.  W.  Sixt,  Westpark,  Ohio,  S.  C. 
White  Leghorns. 

Geo.  O.  Brown,  Baltimore,  Md.,  poul- 
try judge. 

C.  H.  Rhodes,  Topeka,  Kan.,  poultry 
judge. 

1.  K.  Felch,  So.  Natick,  Ma.ss.,  poultry 
judge. 

D.  T.  Heimlich,  Jacksonville,  111.,  poul- 
try judge. 

W.  R.  Graham,  Guelph,  Canada,  poul 
try  judge. 

E.  C.  Branch,  Lee  Summit,  Mo.,  pmuI 
try  judge. 

F.  J.  Marshall,  College  Park,  Ga.,  poul- 
try judge. 

U.  J.  Shanklin,  Anamosa,  Iowa,  poul- 
try judge. 

J.  C.  Johnson,  Petersburg,  111.,  poultr\ 
judge. 

B.  J.   Hill,  Akron,  Ohio,  poultry  judge. 

Jo^.  Dagle,  Richland,  la.,  poultry  judge.  -pi,,.  ;^i„ 

W.  H.  Card,  Manchester,  Conn.,  poul-  ",'',','',  ''11''' 
try  judge.  :ii'^'    •    i      - 

Theo.     Faulstich,    Dayton,    O.,    poultry         ii,', '  1,1,  i,  1  ,. 
judge.  P.Mr..,.onn  d 

H.  B.  Savage,  Belton,  Tex.,  poultry 
judge. 

C.  H.  Ward,  Bethel,  Conn.,  poultry  judge. 

J.  C.  Punderford,  Freneau,  N.  J.,  S.  C.  White  and  Buff 
Leghorns. 

Geo.  S.  Barnes,  Marshall,  Mich.,  Buff  Leghorns. 

B.  E.  Craig,  Davis  City,  la.,  S.  C.  Buff  Leghorns. 

Paul  Scott,  Mitchell,  S.  D.,  S.  C.  Brown  Leghorn-s. 

A.  C.  Smith,  Waltham,  Mass.,  S.  C.  Brown  Leghorns. 

Ezra  C.  Carter,  Marathon,  N.  Y.,  S.  C.  White  Leg- 
horns. 


Paul  C.  Bork,  Akron,  Ohio,  S.  C.  White  Leghorns. 

Earl  E.  Wells,  Cohoes,  N.  Y. 

Wm.  F.  Brace,  Victor,  N.  Y.,  S.  C.  Brown  Leghorns. 

E.  C.  Gilbert,  Tully,  N.  Y.,  S.  C.  Buff  Leghorns. 

O.  M.  Robbins,  Santa  Ana,  Calif. 
Criticisms  and  Approval  by  Leghorn  Breeders. 

I  think  the  male  bird  is  just  about  perfect  but  do 
not  like  the  hen,  as  I  think  she  is  too  low  and  heavy  in 
body,  making  her  look  ducky.  I  think  the  Buff  Leghorn 
female  in  the  new  Standard  is  hard  to  beat.  In  my  opin- 
ion she  is  far  superior  to  this  one. — Wm.  H.  Heil. 

I  think  the  tail  on  female  as  shown  in  sketch  is  a 
"freak,"  as  it  is  anything  but  an  ideal  Leghorn  shape, 
being  not  only  too  short  and  broad,  but  also  very  coarse 


Ideal    Female   Leghorn    Type. 

(ration  is  reproduced  (to 
•Mtalogue  ot  1911,  by  r,r., 
'-   submitted  by  the  1  -hii' 


X.-vtional  Single  Comb 
I'  11.  Groesbeck.  Sec- 
'i.^t  possible  conceiv- 
iHL-ially  designed  by 
l:itter  claiming  that 
Anii-rican  Standard  of 


lo' iking,  .-\nothcr  fault  is  in  tlie  back,  which  is  too  long, 
almost  a  Minorca  type. 

The  male  is  good  except  that  personally  I  would 
prefer  the  old  Standard  lines  at  base  of  tail.  Too  much 
curve  where  tail  joins  back. — Geo.  L.  Hornbrook. 

I  will  say  frankly  that  these  sketches  in  my  opinion 
show  the  ideal  Leghorn  in  both  male  and  female — in  fact 
I  have  never  before  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  what  I 
consider  more  perfect  sketches  and  I  sincerely  hope  they 
will  be  adopted  by  the  American  Poultry  Association  in 
another  edition  of  the  Standard  of  Perfection. — O.  T. 
Hallman. 


Standard  Shape  Outlines  Suggested  For  Leghorns,  Male  and  Female 


la  t 


-     -       -  -  -    --    ---     ---    diau  ..„ 

represent  matured  specimens,  i.  e.,  cock  and  hen.  They  show  the  tail  of  the  male  carried  at  an  angle  ot  4o  degiees 
and  that  ot  the  female  at  40  degrees  as  called  for  by  the  Standard  ot  Perfection.  Both  the  male  and  female  how  the 
upright  carriage,  the  sprightly  alertness  and  style  characteristic  of  the  Leghorn  breed  The  comb  ot  the  male  is 
smooth,  medium  in  size,  setting  straight  and  firmly  on  the  skull,  the  serrations  being  deep  with  pomts  that  are  even  and 
well  balanced  from  front  to  rear,  the  blade  extending  well  beyond  the  back  of  the  head  with  no  tendency  to  follow  the 
neck.  The  comb  of  the  1910  Standard  Leghorn  male  is  too  large  and  deep,  the  serrations  and  points  being  less  uniform 
in  size  than  in  the  sketch  outlined  above.  The  male  outline  herewith  also  shows  a  longer  and  more  uniform  breast  line, 
more  length  of  thighs  and  shanks  and  a  more  fully  furnished  tail  than  the  Standard  male.  The  female  outlined  above  is  a 
Leghorn  from  head  to  foot,  every  line  denoting  grace  and  truly  indicating  the  wonderful  activity  that  has  made  her 
world-famous  as  the  "business  hen  of  America."  The  long,  beautifully  arched  neck,  moderately  long  back  with  graceful 
sweep  of  the  tail;  the  length  and  spread  of  tail;  the  prominent  breast;  the  moderately  long  body  and  legs;  the 
slender  shanks  and  toes;  the  smooth  and  perfectly  serrated  comb  carried  in  the  most  characteristic  manner— all  of  which 
arecalled  for  by  the  Standard,  can  be  found  in  the  above  picture.     The  1910  Standard  female  lacks  in  length  of  body  and 

first  and  second  points  is  too   wide,   and  thighs  and 


Sketch  of  Leghorn  male  you  have  submitted  has 
comb  and  wattles  far  superior  to  the  Standard  illustra- 
tions, but  in  other  respects  it  is  not  satisfactory.  If  comb 
and  wattles  were  altered  to  conform  to  this  sketch  you 
have  sent  me  the  present  Standard  illustration  of  S.  C. 
White  Leghorn  would  be  beyond  criticism. 

Your  sketch  of  Leghorn  female  is  superior  to  the 
Standard  cut  in  nearly  every  section  and  should  replace 
the  present  illustration  without  being  changed  in  any 
particular.     It  is  ideal. — Geo.  B.  Ferris. 

In  my  opinion  the  male  should  be  longer  in  body,  tail 
lower,  just  a  little,  wattles  should  be  a  trifle  shorter  and 
round,  and  the  shanks  should  not  be  so  straight.  As  to 
the  female,  there  is  little  change  that  I  would  recommend. 
Her  tail  also  should  be  lowered  a  little  and  fullness  in 
breast  should  be  raised  somewhat. — Elmer  V.  Shultz. 

In  reply  would  say  that  although  these  suggested  out- 
lines are  not  strictly  ideal,  in  my  opinion,  still  they  greatly 
improve  those  in  the  1910  Standard  as  to  the  proper  type, 
showing  the  true  breed  characteristics  of  the  Leghorns. 

To  my  judgment  I  think  the  hen  is  somewhat  full  in 
breast,  having  tendency  to  have  her  look  just  a  little  too 
long  and  blocky.  The  hackle  of  the  male  does  not  seem 
as  abundant  as  it  should  be,  nor  to  flow  well  over  her 
shoulders.  These  are  very  small  defects  as  compared 
with  the  illustrations  of  White  Leghorns  in  the  present 
Standard. — Lewis  T.  McLean. 

The  type  of  hen  shown  in  this  outline,  in  my  opinion, 
is  not  only  the  most  beautiful  type  for  exhibition,  but  also 
is  one  that  will  make  good  her  title  "the  business  hen  of 
America."  She  has  just  the  right  size  comb  for  the  most 
attractive  exhibition  bird  and  also  for  the  heaviest  layer. 
I  like  the  long  body  and  sprightly  appearance  of  this  Leg- 
horn female. 

The  male  taken  as  a  whole  I  consider  very  good  and 


if  there  are  any  changes  I  would  suggest  it  would  be  that 
the  earlobes  are  a  little  too  long,  as  compared  with  the 
width  and  that  the  legs  are  a  little  too  far  toward  the 
iront  of  the  body. 

I  considei-  these  shape  outlines  of  both  male  and  fe- 
male to  be  so  much  better  than  those  given  in  the  1910 
Standard  that  I  have  a  very  little  criticism  to  offer. — N.  V. 
Fogg. 

These  are  beautiful  cuts  of  the  best  fowl  known — to 
me!  The  only  criticism  to  offer  on  the  male  is  that  his 
wattles  are  longer  than  I  like.  Only  criticism  on  female 
is  that  her  tail  is  just  a  little  too  short  to  suit  me.— Har- 
mon Bradshaw. 

I  have  examined  same  carefully  and  cannot  see  where 
I  could  improve  them.  Will  say,  that  if  I  were  able  to 
breed  Leghorns  up  to  these  outlines  they  would  be  per- 
fectly satisfactory  to  me. — Fred  H.  Cook. 

In  regard  to  the  Leghorn  outline  sketches  submitted 
for  inspection  I  think  they  are  not  far  from  the  proper 
ideal  of  the  Leghorn.  The  type  as  I  see  it  is  about  that 
which  all  judges  and  breeders  favor  when  picking  show 
birds. 

We  have  some  specimens  showing  a  tail  nearly  as 
wide,  and  these  birds  as  a  rule  (especially  those  with  real 
low  tails  and  also  wide  tails)  are  not  quite  long  enough 
in  thigh  and  shank  and  for  me  I  consider  the  last  two 
points  more  important  for  business  and  beauty  than  the 
extremely  low  tail  extremely  spread. 

I  hardly  think  any  point  would  be  considered  more 
important  than  a  low,  long,  well  spread  tail,  especially 
with  the  best  judges,  who  realize  most  fully  what  it  means 
to  produce  such.  The  tail  is  certainly  a  show  quality,  but 
I  would  suggest  that  the  tail  of  the  female  on  the  en- 
closed proof  be  folded  or  closed  up  enough  to  give  it  a 
longer  appearance.     I  also  think  the  base  of  tail   on  this 


THE   LEGHORNS 


hen  is  too  wide  or  deep.  I  will  not  criticise  the  breast, 
but  breast  looks  like  the  limit  and  the  future  Leghorn  may 
have  them  as  full  and  to  their  advantage. — L.  E.  Meri- 
hew. 

I  must  say  that  both  sketches  are  the  nearest  my 
ideal  I  have  ever  seen  and  are  a  vast  improvement  on  the 
illustrations  in  the  1910  Standard  of  Perfection.  I  am 
greatly  pleased  at  the  interest  you  are  taking  in  this  mat- 
ter, as  I  honestly  think  illustration  of  the  S.  C.  White 
Leghorn  male  is  misleading  as  a  guide  in  selecting  the 
winners  at  our  shows  for  the  next  four  years. 

In  the  first  place  the  comb  of  the  S.  C.  White  Leg- 
horn male  in  the  1910  Standard  (which  is  1-10  of  the  bird 
in  number  of  points)  was  verj'  much  a  disappointment  be- 
cause the  average  judge  would  say  "it  is  large  enough  for 
a  Minorca,"  also  the  points  are  unevenly  serrated. 

The  neater  outlines  of  the  neck  of  both  male  and  fe- 
male as  shown  in  your  sketches  are  an  improvement,  in 
showing  the  active  and  nervous  temperament  as  well  as 
the  correct  symmetry  or  type  that  makes  the  breed. 

The  neat  head  points  will  also  meet  the  approval  of 
leading  breeders  and  as  a  whole  the  sketches  in  my  esti- 
mation are  "the  missing  link"  and  should  be  accepted 
to  replace  the  ones  shown  in  our  misfit  Standard. 

If  one  doubts  the  misfit  of  this  Standard  he  has  only 
to  turn  from  the  S.  C.  Brown  or  S.  C.  Buff  male  which 
are  both  much  better  than  that  of  the  S.  C.  White  male— 
and  ask  himself  why  there  is  so  much  difference. — P.  R. 
Pfouts. 

itiey  are  better  than  those  in  the  last  Standard. 

The  comb  in  Leghorn  drawing  of  the  last  Standard  is 
entirely  too  large  and  had  too  much  of  a  beefy  appear- 
ance. All  of  the  best  Leghorns  have  been  trying  to  get 
away  from  these  larger  combs,  therefore  such  a  draw- 
ing when  put  into  the  new  Standard  as  an  ideal  will  prove 
a  drawback  to  the  breed.  The  sooner  that  Leghorn 
breeders  can  get  away  from  the  big  combs  and  wattles 
the  better  it  will  be.  And  we  are  not  directing  beginners 
in  the  right  direction  unless  we  have  the  combs,  wattles 
and  all  other  sections  right  in  our  ideal  illustrations  show- 
ing what  is  wanted  in  the  best  birds. 

My  idea  is  to  have  a  correct  i  'eal  showing  as  near  as 
possible  what  is  wanted  by  the  best  breeders  all  over  the 


se  of  tail. 


United  States,  then  see  to  it  that  the  judges  stick  to  these 
ideals  in  placing  awards. 

The  serrations  in  the  new  outline  you  sent  me  might 
be  a  little  closer  together,  so  as  to  show  the  blade  a  trifle 
better. 

All  other  points  being  equal,  under  most  of  the  best 
judges  today,  a  bird  with  a  little  lower  and  still  better 
spread  tail  would  win  out  every  time. — G.  J.  Gerber. 

In   my    opinion   they    are   the   best    sketches    yet   pro- 


b  aLl  lie  1  tlie  sketches 
indicate  the  changes  that  J  H  Hender- 
son of  Tennessee  suggests  They  show 
less  fullness  in  breast  less  length  and 
depth  of  body  and  the  tail  caiiied  at  a 
higher  angle. 


W. 


duced,  and  represent  my  interpretation    of  the    Standard 
perfectly. 

I  think  most  Leghorn  breeders  are  putting  on  too 
nntch  comb,  both  on  male  and  female.  That  is  one  objec- 
tion to  the  1910  sketches — too  much  comb.  A  comb  as  is 
usually  found  on  Leghorns  bred  after  these  sketches, 
must  be  thick  and  more  or  less  coarse  in  order  to  stand 
erect.     The  curve  of  the  back  and  tail  is  very  pleasing. 

By  all  means  let  us  have  a  Standard  with  a  proper 
type  and  characteristics  of  Leohorns,  so  that  we  may 
know  Leghorns 
from  Minorcas. — 
J.   N.   Coffman. 

The  sketches 
of  Leghorns  re- 
ceived and  I  cer- 
tainly tnink  the 
artist  has  done 
the  breed  justice 
in  every  respect. 
How  these 
sketches  can  be 
improved  upon 
and  retain  the 
true  characteris- 
tics of  this  noble 
breed  's  beyond 
me.  I  should  say 
they  are  the  ideal 
type  of  both  male 
and  female  and 
should  the  A.  P. 
A.  approve  these 
cuts  and  adopt 
them  for  the 
Standard,  I  think 
they  would  be 
accented  with 
pleasure     by     all 

Leghorn     breeders     throughout     the     country. — Ed 
Phelps. 

In  my  opinion  these  outlines  are  very  satisfactory. — 
O.  C.  Gehrman. 

I  regard  the  sketch  of  male  as  being  much  better  than. 
that  of  the  female.  Have  suggested  one  change  in  male 
outline  that  I  hope  may  be  of  some  service  to  you. 

As  a  Leghorn  breeder!  appreciate  the  work  you  are 
doing  and  believe  you  are  taking  a  step  in  the  right  direc- 
tion.— J.  H.  Henderson. 

I  am  in  receipt  of  the  plates  of  the  White  Leghorns, 
and  after  examining  them  closely  I  wish  to  say  that  I 
tliink  they  represent  this  breed  more  thoroughly  than  the 
cuts  in  the  new  edition  of  the  1910  Standard,  but  if  Mr. 
Sewell  is  going  to  make  new  drawings  1  would  like  very 
much  to  see  them  and  make  a  comparison. — A.  J.  Murphy. 

With  the  exception  of  the  tail  of  the  female  the 
sketches  submitted  by  you  represent,  in  my  estimation, 
the  ideal  Leghorn  shape. 

I  believe  that  the  shape  pf  the  back  and  tail  of  the  fe- 
male as  shown  by  drawing  used  in  Standard  is  entirely  too 
beefy  to  suit  my  ideal,  and  also  I  think  both  the  present 
Standard  male  and  female  are  a  bit  too  short  in  the  legs 
for  typical  Leghorns. — Leon   C.   Huntington. 

A  very  important  point  in  the  pictures  in  our  Standard 
has  been  overlooked,  viz.;  to  have  the  outlines  of  male 
and  female  of  such  proportions  that  birds  of  the  same 
type  can  be  bred  from  the  same  mating. 

In  the  sketches  submitted  by  you  the  male  is  too 
slender  and  the  female  the  reverse.  I  have  tried  to  make 
the  sketches  right  in  this  respect  by  making  the  female 
more  slender  and  the  male  a  little  more  blocky. 

The  main  tail  feathers  in  Leghorns  should  number 
eight  instead  of  seven  and  a  very  important  thing  for  the 
male  is  abundant  tail  feathering,  especially  the  side 
hangers. 

I  have  noted  on  the  sketch  the  changes  I  deem  neces- 
sar;.  Would  especially  call  attention  to  the  eyes;  they  are 
too  large  and  the  lobe  in  female  sketch  is  entirely  too- 
large.  Beak  on  each  sketch  is  too  blunt.  Back  part  of 
comb  or  keel  looks  as  if  he  had  a  side  sprig:. 

I  trust  that  we  may  be  able  to  get  satisfactory  draw- 
ings that  will  represent  the  true  ideals  for  which  to  strive 
and  that  they  may  conform  closely,  but  not  so  that  we 
shall  not  set  before  us  a  task  impossible  to  accomplish. 


THE   LEGHORNS 


111  our  Standard  of  Perfection  the  different  varieties 
-Iiniild  be  shown  in  their  natural  colors.  Any  one  would 
Tiay  a  little  more  for  the  book  if  this  were  done.— A.  T. 
Liiidgren. 

Possibly  you  have  sketched  the  tail  of  the  male  a  little 
large  and  a  trifle  long.  I  believe  you  have  a  better  shape 
tor  both  male  and  female  than  the  1910  Standard.  You 
will  remove,  I  think,  the  call  for  the  separate  utihty 
standard  if  you  succeed  in  having  these  sketches  adopted 
by  the  association,  because  they  give  that  longer  shape 
to  the  hen  that  is  so  desirable  for  the  heavy  production  of 
eggs.— F.  R.  Merk. 

The  two  outlines  as  submitted  are  nearer  my  ideal 
of  what  the  Leghorns  should  be  than  those  figured  in  the 
new  edition  of  the  Standard.  However,  I  do  not  believe 
that  either  of  them  literally  interprets  the  wording  of  the 
Standard. 

Of  course  you  understand  that  when  one  starts  to 
criticise  a  thing  he  will  naturally  put  into  that  criticism 
his  ideal,  despite  any  illustration  or  printed  text  which 
might  be  before  him.  One's  interpretation  of  the  Stand- 
ard then  is  what  one  wills  to  think.  It  is  a  fact,  well  un- 
derstood, that  most  of  us  will,  either  consciously  or  un- 
consciously, think  very  diflferently  about  the  same  thing. 

In  criticising  these  two  outlines  I  am  going  to  pro- 
ceed on  the  assumption  that  Mr.  Schilling  intended  these 
to  interpret  the  Standard  literally.  My  criticism  will  also 
embodv  what  to  me  would  seem  an  ideal  male  and  female 
shape, 'the  literal  interpretation  of  the  Standard  to  the 
contrary,  notwithstanding. 

The  Male:  Head:  Not  enough  vertical  depth.  Beak: 
slightly  undersized.  Eyes:  Slightly  small.  Should  be  in- 
creased in  proportion  to  head  and  beak  criticism.  Comb: 
Verv  good  though  slightly  unbalanced  over  beak.  Would 
desire  it  a  little  less  angular  in  front.  Wattles  and  Ear- 
lobes:  Very  good  indeed.  Suit  my  ideal  exactly,  though 
I  do  not  believe  they  are  literal  interpretations  of  the 
Standard.  Xeck:  Very  good.  Wings:  Outline  too  angu- 
lar. Back:  .'Ml  right.  Tail:  Very  satisfactory  for  shape 
and  carried  at  an  angle  that  is  very  pleasing  and  desir- 
able but  not  in  accord  with  Standard.  Standard  calls  for 
forty-five  degrees,  outline  shows  tail  carried  at  twenty- 
four  and  one-half  degrees  (see  sketch).  Breast:  Too 
much  of  a  curve,  should  be  filled  in  a  little  as  indicated  by 
pencil  marks.  Body  and  Fluff:  Seem  too  short  at  first 
glance  but  upon  analysis  would  say  that  body  is  all  right 
in  length;  the  trouble  lies  in  fluff  and  breast.  FlufT  should 
be  slightly  more  rounded.  Legs  and  Toes:  Length  of 
shank  a  trifle  short  and  decidedly  thin.  Hock  has  about 
the  right  amount  exposed,  but  is  a  trifle  light  for  this 
weight  bird. 

The    Female.      Head:   All   right.       Beak: 
Eyes:  Slightly  small.      Comb:    Very    good. 
Xeck:     Good.      Back:     Very     good.      Tail: 
impression      of     being     too      short,     however, 
be     due     to     the     fact     that    there    is    too    muc 


Very  good. 
Face:  Good. 
Leaves  the 
-,    this    may 

cushion. 


«5^ 


The  heavy  black  lines  illustrate  the 
<  riticisms  of  A  T  Lingdren  of  Call 
lornia  Mr  Lindgren  s  changes  show 
less  depth  of  body  and  more  length  of 
shank. 


neck  le^s  depth  and  length  of  body  i 
a  slightlj  higher  tail  These  changes 
shown  by  the  heavy  black  line  in 
above  illustration. 


Would  say  that  cushion  should  be  decreased  or  tail 
lengthened.  Couldn't  tell  which  would  give  correct  ini- 
pression  but  there  is  an  absence  of  pleasing  balance  in  this 
section.  Here,  as  in  the  case  of  the  male  bird,  the  angle 
or  carriage  is  pleasing  to  look  at  but  not  in  accordance 
with  Standard  requirements.  Breast:  Good.  Body:  A 
little  light  at  fluflf  and  just  a  trifle  thick  at  junction  of 
wishbone  and  sternum.  Fluff  should  be  slightly  length- 
ened, lowered  and  rounded.  Legs  and  Toes:  Proportion 
very  good  but  seem  awkwardly  placed  and  stiff. — Yester- 
laid  Egg  Farms  Company,  R.  C.  Lawry,  Mgr. 

I  have  made  an  effort  to  go  over  them  carefully.  Have 
criticised  them  a  little,  but  have  no  serious  objections  to 
the  shape  of  either.     They  are  both  very  good  indeed. 

Male  bird:  Tail  is  carried  a  little  too  high  to  suit  my 
fancy.  Neck,  breast  and  body  are  ideal.  Would  lower  tail 
about  one-eighth  of  an  inch. — R.  A.  .Alexander. 

I  think  they  are  a  decided  improvement  on  those  in 
the  new  Standard.  While  I  consider  myself  quite  a  Leg- 
horn crank,  I  have  no  criticisms  to  rnake  of  these  sug- 
gested ideals.  In  my  judgment  the  picture  of  the  White 
I-.eghorn  male  in  the  new  Standard,  is,  to  use  the  slang 
phrase,  bum.  However,  I  notice  that  in  order  to  win  in 
the  big  shows  we  have  to  have  the  tails  of  our  Leghorn 
male  birds  below  45  degrees. — F.  D.  Rogers. 

The  sketches  of  Leghorns,  male  and  female,  that  you 
submitted  are  just  about  ideal,  in  my  opinion.  It  seems 
to  me  there  might  be  just  a  little  more  fullness  in  the 
upper  part  of  the  neck  (rear  portion)  of  the  male  and  pos- 
sibly just  a  little  more  below  the  hackle  where  it  ap- 
proaches the  back. 

It  seems  to  me  that  the  back  of  the  female  is  just  a 
little  long  and  could  be  just  a  little  more  concave.  Her 
neck  may  be  just  a  trifle  fuller  about  the  throat  or  just  be- 
low the  wattles.— Dr.  F.  M.  Reed. 

The  two  outline  sketches  sent  us  of  the  Leghorns, 
male  and  female,  are  as  near  perfection  to  our  mind  as 
anything  that  we  have  ever  seen,  and  if  the  American 
Poultry  Association  keeps  near  these  outlines  we  shall  be 
perfectly  satisfied. — W.  R.  Curtiss  &  Co. 

"Think  they  are  ideal  interpretations  of  the  Standard 
text.  We  do  not  know  where  we  could  criticise  these 
sketches. — W.  A.  Bode. 

As  for  the  male  in  the  1910  Standard,  I  think  it  not 
right  because  we  want  the  curving  back.  This  has  been 
taken  away  and  I  think  it  wrong  to  spoil  the  breed  in 
this  way.  The  outlines  for  Leghorns,  male  and  female, 
you  sent  me  I  think  are  right  and  what  we  want.  Let's 
keep  the  nice  curve  of  back. — F.  C.  Gutknecht. 

I  hardly  think  I  can  cut  them  a  point.  They  have  the 
true  Leghorn  shape.  I  think  the  American  Poultry  .\sso- 
ciation  should  use  these  shape  outlines  in  the  next  Stand- 
ard.— G.  Schimke. 

I  think  the  outlines  of  Leghorns,  male  and  female,  as 
submitted  by  you,  are  fully  up  to  what  we  wish  to  have 
them  and  that  they  fit  the  Standard  description. 

The  comb  of  the  male  is  about 
right.  I  do  not  know  why  the  artists 
put  the  legs  so  far  apart  in  almost  all 
drawings.  It  is  not  natural  in  the 
first  place  and  in  the  second  place  it 
is  very  hard  to  get  them  true. 

In  the  female  the  one  thigh  is 
too  far  back — or  the  whole  leg. — W. 
W.  Kulp. 

.\fter  looking  over  the  Leghorn 
cuts,  male  and  female,. you  have  sub- 
mitted, I  have  no  criticism  to  make, 
other  than  to  say  these  drawings  are 
exactly  mv  idea  of  what  Standard 
Leghorns  should  be.  I  think  the  cut 
in  the  new  Standard  of  the  White 
I  cghorn  male  is  a  very  bad  one. — E. 
A.  Vosburgh. 

I  have  very  little  fault  to  find 
with  these  drawings.  My  criticisms 
would  be  as  follows: 

Male:  Comb  is  good.  I  think 
much  better  than  in  our  Standard. 
Wattles  are  good.  Earlobes  are  a 
little  too  large,  or  too  long,  in  my 
estimation.  Body  shape  is  good.  Car- 
riage of  tail  is  ideal — in  fact  I  think 
this  cut  of  male  is  hard  to  criticise. 


The 'above  sketches  show  the  pains  taken  by  RoUa  C.  Lawry  of  Missouri,  in  proving  that  the  angle  of  the  tail  in 
the  sketches  for  the  Leghorn  male  and  female  do  not  coincide  with  the  text.  Notwithstanding  that  both  are  carried  at  a 
lower  angle  than  is  called  for  in  the  Standard  description,  the  letters  published  herewith  often  indicate  a  preference  for 
a  lower  carried  tall.  Should  the  Standard  be  changed? 


Female:  Comb  is  good,  except  the  second  serration, 
which  I  think  stands  a  little  too  much  erect.  Wattles  and 
earlobes  good.  Neck,  I  think,  could  be  improved  a  little; 
it  looks  as  though  it  should  be  a  little  fuller  just  under 
lower  edge  of  wattles.  This  change  on  neck  I  think 
would  improve  shape  of  breast,  which  looks  to  be  too 
much  on  the  full  order,  especially  when  you  take  into 
consideration  the  height  of  this  bird  and  length  of  the 
neck,  also  the  depth  of  body;  this  causes  a  s(luatty  ap- 
pearance. Back  and  tail  are  very  good.  Tail  especially 
is  ideal.  Shanks  look  a  little  short  to  my  way  of  think- 
ing.— E.  E.  Endsley. 

I  have  only  one  thing  to  say.  I  think  the  second 
point  from  the  front  on  male  sketch  a  little  long.  Every 
other  way  they  are  my  ideal  of  the  correct  Leghorn 
shape. — Joseph  Reiff. 

Can  find  no  fault  with  Leghorn  shapes. — J.  Leroy 
Cunningham. 

I  admire  this  Leghorn  male  outlinevery  much.  I  be- 
lieve it  to  be  the  most  satisfactory  outline  I  have  ever 
seen.  I  would  criticise  it  in  only  one  respect — legs  and 
thighs  are  too  fine.  This  criticism  1  would  apply  to  both 
the  drawings  of  male  and  female,  although  in  the  case  of 
the  female  it  would  apply  with  reference  to  thighs  more 
than  to  shanks. 

I  would  commend  the  back  and  tail  of  this  male  par- 
ticularly. Here  the  artist  has  given  us  more  curve  to 
back  and  has  brought  it  up  on  to  the  tail  with  what  I  con- 
sider the  correct  concave  sweep,  eliminating  the  break 
made  at  the  base  of  the  tail,  which  appears  in  so  many 
illustrations — even  those  in  the  new  Standard  not  being 
free  from  this  defect  and  this,  too,  in  spite  of  the  very 
plainly  worded  text. 

I  certainly  hope  that  in  arriving  at  a  composite  from 
the  criticisms  of  this  drawing  it  will  not  prove  necessary 
to  alter  the  shape  of  this  male  in  any  material  degree,  for 
it  meets  my  ideas  to  a  T. 

The  drawing  of  the  female  I  do  not  like  nearly  so 
well.  The  bird  hasn't  the  daintiness  and  gracefulness  that 
we  want  in  Leghorn  females.  I  would  suggest  the  cutting 
off  of  a  slight  bit  from  the  extreme  front  of  the  breast 
and  adding  it  on  just  in  front  of  the  thighs.  Back  and 
body  should  be  longer  and  this  length  could  best  be  added 
back  of  thighs.  The  upper  fluff  should  be  more  compact, 
as  the  bird  seems  too  deep,  measured  through  at  the  base 
of  the  tail.  Main  tail  feathers  should  be  given  a  greater 
length  and  should  be  carrie-'.  at  a  higher  angle.  The 
angle  of  the  tail  would  probably  be  right  as  the  artist  evi- 
dently intends  us  to  measure  it — along  the  line  of  the 
front  of  the  highest  tail  feather — but  to  measure  it  along 
tlie  quill  of  the  upper  tail  feathers,  as  seems  more  proper 
to  me,  especially  here  where  the  upper  feather  has  been 
drawn  with  a  very  rounded  upper  edge,  would  show  the 
tail  much  too  low. 

.\    certain    alert  gracefulness    in    males    and   a   more 


modest  trimness  and  daintiness  in  females,  coupled  in  both 
sexes  with  a  suggestion  of  activity  and  business,  should  be 
the  ideas  conveyed  to  the  observer  of  well-bred  Leghorns. 
I  know  these  are  difficult  to  show  in  mere  drawings,  but 
our  artists  have  succeeded  in  doing  it  in  some  instances. 
Mr.  Schilling  has  succeeded  remarkably  well  in  his  male 
drawing.  I  wish  the  female  could  be  brought  up  to  the 
same  standard. — Clarence  Hewes. 

I  think  the  cut  of  cock  is  a  very  fine  one  and  I  believe 
it  to  be  nearer  to  the  description  of  the  Standard  than  any 
cut  I  have  ever  seen.  The  only  exception  I  think  is  I 
would  prefer  the  thighs  and  shanks  a  little  heavier.  I  ad- 
mire the  comb,  which  is  truly  a  medium  sized  comb. 

In  regard  to  the  lemale  sketch,  would  say,  the  general 
outline  is  almost  perfect.  The  only  fault  I  find  is  the 
second  point  on  the  comb  should  be  just  a  little  lower. — 
C.  VV.  Sixt. 

I  regret  that  my  abilities  as  an  artist  are  too  obscure 
for  me  to  attempt  any  improvements  on  the  sketches  you 
have  sent  me.  On  the  average  these  sketches  are  a  vast 
improvement  on  those  in  the  new  Standard. — Geo.  O. 
Brown. 

I  have  compared  the  sketches  of  popular  breeds  re- 
ceived from  you  with  the  Standard  description  and  must 
say  candidly  that  they  meet  with  my  hearty  approval. 
Tliev  represent  in  my  opinion  the  ideal  in  the  full  plumage 
of  maturity.  I  would  not  suggest  any  changes. — C.  H. 
Rhodes. 

I  prefer  a  more  slender,  upright  male  and  a  shorter, 
slight  female.  Cut  away  breast  as  shown  in  the  female 
and  reduce  the  size  of  tail  thirty  per  cent.  Thig-hs  should 
be  longer,  giving  us  a  more  upright  and  sprightlier  bird. — 
L  K.  Felch. 

The  sketch  of  S.  C.  Leghorn  male  as  given  for  White 
Leghorn  in  the  1910  Standard  suits  me.  I  like  the  upright 
carriage  of  tail  because  it  adds  style  and  gives  the  male 
bird  a  more  alert  appearance  which  is  essential  to  Leg- 
horn character. 

The  1910  Standard  illustration  of  Leghorn  female 
suits  me  much  better  than  this  too  coarse  headed  bird  in 
the  sketch  you  have  sent  me. — D.  T.  Heimlich. 

I  am  of  the  opinion  that  the  Leghorn  male  does  not 
correspond  to  the  wording  in  the  Standard,  as  well  as  does 
the  Brown  Leghorn  male  illustrated  in  the  present  Stand- 
ard— that  is,  taking  everything  into  consideration.  In  the 
first  place,  the  comb  and  wattles  are  too  large,  and  the 
head  is  too  long,  and  certainly  the  bill  is  too  straight.  If 
you  were  to  dub  this  bird  he  would  not  look  unlike  a 
game.  Take  a  pencil  and  remove  the  comb,  wattles  and 
lobes  and  you  will  see  how  much  he  resembles  a  game. 
The  neck  is  too  long  and  there  is  entirely  too  muchtail 
to  this  bird — in  a  big  wind  he  would  blow  over.  Thighs 
are  very  light. 

Leghorn  Female:  She  is  a  trifle  small  in  the  thighs 
and  possibly  a  little  low  down.     The  tail  coverts  are  car- 

31 


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THE   LEGHORNS 


33 


Tied  too  high.  I  would  prefer,  as  far  as  the  Standard  de- 
scription is  concerned,  the  Brown  Leghorn  female  as 
being  near  the  present  Standard. — W.  R.  Graham. 

In  Leghorns  the  S.  C.  White  male  and  the  S.  C.  Buflf 
female  conform  to  Standard  in  shape  description. — E.  C. 
Branch. 

Leghorn  male  comb  a  little  ;small  and  wattles  are  a 
little  bit  pinched.  Back  a  little  too  short;  otherwise  it  is 
fine.  Female  neck  is  too  slim  and  delicate  looking;  tail  a 
little  too  much  arched  and  too  loosely  folded.  Otherwise 
I  like  it.— F.  J.  Marshall. 

In  my  judgment  the  drawings  submitted  to  me  are  far 
superior  to  the  ones  in  the  new  Standard.     I  for  one  would 


is  a  little  too  upright  and  straight.  Moving  both  forward 
would  no  doubt  give  more  of  a  sweep  to  back  and  lengthen 
same. 

The  only  fault  that  I  can  see  with  the  female  is  a  little 
too  much  breast.  She  is  also  too  deep  in  body.  The 
Standard  calls  for  "fairly  deep." — J.  C.  runderford. 

I  consider  these  shape  outlines  about  as  good  as 
needed. — Geo.  S.  Earner 

Comparing  the  drawings  in  the  new  Standard  and 
your  sketches  of  Leghorn  shape,  it  is  my  opinion  that  the 
latter  are  better  in  all  details  except  in  the  comb  of  male. 
I  consider  the  comb  on  the  male  in  the  Standard  the  best 
model,  as  it  shows  more  size  and  I  think  finer  texture.  It 

head.     I 


prefer  these  ideals  to  the  ones  in  the  1910  Standard. — U.  J.       does  not  appear  so  beefy  and  stands  up  well 
Shanklin.  u-.:  — -   .u_.  u  — .j :...•...:.._  .u. 

While  the  sketches  do  not  cover  all  the  corrections 
that  should  be  made  in  the  present  Standard,  they  meet 
my  hearty  approval. — J.  C.  Johnson. 

F.ach'sketch  might  well  replace  the  illustrations  in  the 
;ent  Standard. 

In  the  Leghorn  fem.ale  the  back  appears  too  long. — 
[.  Hill. 
The   Leghorn  male  is  O.   K.,  except  that  the  back  is 


pres 


1A. 


As  will  be  noted  by  the  hea\y  Imes 
Mr.  Felch"s  ideal  is  consideiable  shorter 
than  the  majority  of  prominent  Leghorn 
breeders  and  judges  favor. 


R  \  \lexandei  of  West  Virginia  su-, 
gests  less  fullness  and  piominence  in 
breast  as  is  shown  by  the  hea\j  black 
line  in  the  illustration 


too  low  in  the  center,  which  gives  the  tail  a  low  appear- 
ance.     Female   is   very   satisfactory. — Jos.    Dagle. 

The  sketches  of  Leghorns  are  splendid.  The  male  is 
O.  K.,  except  that  back  line  should  be  a  more  perfect  con- 
cave, which  would  relieve  the  appearance  of  too  much 
length  of  body  for  a  Leghorn.  Back  of  the  female  is  too 
long  and  the  legs  are  set  too  far  back  on  body.  Illustra- 
tions in  the  1910  Sta^ard  are  much  better. — W.  H.  Card. 

The  neck  of  the  Leghorn  male  appears  to  be  a  trifle 
too  long  and  I  would  make  same  criticism  about  the  tail. 
If  the  sickles  were  carried  more  upright,  it  would  present 
a  better  appearance.  The  little  toes  should  be  shortened 
a  trifle.  The  sketch  of  the  female  is  good,  if  the  second 
serration  of  comb  would  droop  a  trifle  more. — Theo.  Faul- 
stich. 

If  you  take  the  tip-toe  appearance  from  the  male  and 
a  trifle  of  the  fullness  of  breast  from  the  sketch  of  the 
female  the  Leghorn  sketches  would  pass  muster  with  me. 
— H.  B.  Savage. 

Shape  of  male  and  female  very  good,  but  I  like  tjpe 
in  new  Standard  better. — Chas.  H.  Ward. 

I  am  returning  the  sketches  herewith  with  the  sug- 
gestions that  I  have  made  for  same.  Should  say  that  the 
front  of  the  comb  of  the  male  projects  a  bit  too  far  over 
the  beak,  which  woula  have  a  tendency  to  develop  thumb 
marks.  The  back  has  not  quite  the  sweep  or  length  that 
I  would  like  to  see.  Am  not  an  advocate  of  the  extremely 
low  tail,  but  for  the  Standard  male  would  prefer  a  little 
more  length  of  back  than  the  sketch  shows.  It  strikes 
me  that  the  legs  show  a  little  too  much  shank  which  tends 
to  create  a  gamy  type. 

Would  also  say  that  the  position  of  the  head  and  neck 


believe  that  many  breeders  are  injuring  the  utility  quali- 
ties by  breeding  weak  birds  that  have  small  combs.  I  am 
not  a  beefy  comb  advocate,  but  prefer  a  good  sized  comb 
and  one  that  is  fine  in  texture. — B.  E.  Craig. 

I  must  say  that  your  outlines  illustrate  the  ideal  shape 

for  Brown  Leghorns  and  I  truly  hope  that  every  breeder 

and  every  judge  will  recommend  them  as  such. — Paul  Scott. 

Replying   to   your    letter   asking   for    criticism    of   the 

outlines    suggested    for    Standard    Leghorn    shape,    would 

say  that  on  the  whole,  I   do  not  like 

the  outline  of  the  male  as  well  as  the 

one  in  the   Standard,  present  edition. 

The  head  is  very  good,  but  the  blade 

of    the     comb    should     be    about     the 

width   of  a   pencil   mark   deeper;   that 

is  the  bottom  of  the  serration  should 

come  more  nearly  on  a  line. 

The  comb ,  on  the  Single  Comb 
Brown  Leghbrfi'  male  in  the  new 
Standard  is  a  little  too  heavy  espe- 
cially at  the  rear,  it  is  just  as  much 
too  heavy  as  the  one  in  your  sketches 
is  too  light  at  the  rear.  The  ear- 
lobes  should  be  broader  at  the  top 
and  conform  in  shape  to  those  on  the 
Brown  Leghorn  male  in  the  old 
Standard. 

The  outline  of  the  S.  C.  Brown 
Leghorn  male  in  the  new  Standard 
would  serve  very  well  if  the  head 
were  carried  a  little  further  back, 
which  would  give  the  bird  more  life 
and  style.  The  shanks  are  portrayed 
a  little  too  large. 

Your  sketch  is  altogether  too 
high  at  the  shoulder  and  there  is  too 
much  width  at  the  base  of  the  tail, 
making  the  bird  too  heavy  in  the 
rear.  Owing  to  the  fact  'that  the 
bird  is  posted  so  high  on  legs,  the  outline  of  the  back  is 
not  a  natural  curve.  The  one  in  the  new  Standard  is  bet- 
ter, and  is  about  right  in  my  opinion.  The  illustration 
lacks  in  art.  the  head  being  too  far  forward  and  the  main 
tail  sickle  feathers  might  be  better  covered  with  lesser 
sickles.  The  outline  of  the  S.  C.  Brown  Leghorn  female 
on  page  139  of  the  ne.w:  Standard  is  very  good,  but  I  do 
not  like  the  heiK^  and^'^eomb.-  The  biieast  and  back  are 
very  good,  but  it  is  a  question  if  the  breast  is  not  too 
heavy,  also  if  the  direction  of  the  last  three  main  tail 
feathers  is  right.  It  appears  as  though  the  photograph 
was  taken  after  these  feathers  were  broken  down. 

The  sketch  you  have  submitted  is  altogether  too  heavy 
in  body  and  shank.  The  body  in  general  is  too  much  of 
an  oblong  or  Dorking  shape,  in  a  miniature  way.  The 
head  is  very  good  except  the  earlobes  are  a  trifle  large 
and  too  long.  The  neck  is  too  small  and  the  breast  is  al- 
together too  croppy.  I  do  not  consider  it  as  good  an  ideal 
as  the  one  in  the  Standard,  taking  the  White  Leghorn  il- 
lustration as  the  ideal,  for  it  is  very  difificult  to  see  what 
the  outline  of  the  Brown  Leghorn  female  in  the  Standard 
is  intended  to  be. — A.  C.  Smith. 

Regarding  the  sketches  of  Leghorn  male  and  female 
sent  to  me,  would  say  they  are  satisfactory  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  comb  on  the  male.  I  think  it  a  trifle  too 
short  for  the  width. — Ezra  C.  Carter. 

In  regard  to  the  sketches  will  say  that  they  are  the 
best  I  have  seen  to  date.  They  depict  a  more  ideal  Leg- 
horn than  some  photos  and  are  far  better  than  those  in 
the  1910  Standard.  However,  I  would  like  to  see  a  still 
better  outline,  a  male  that  is  longer  in  back,  and  if  you 
will  shorten  the  middle  toe  a  trifle  it  would  be  perfect. 


THE   LEGHORNS 


Regarding  the  hen,  will  say  that  if  a  little  were  taken 
off  the  breast  and  the  tail  lengthened,  she  would  be  con- 
siderably better.  Also  I  do  not  like  to  see  the  second 
spike  on  comb  stand  upright  as  much  as  it  does.  Laying 
everything  aside,  I  wish  I  had  fifty  birds  identical  with 
the  sketches  you  have  sent. — Paul  C.  Bork. 

As  to  your  Leghorn  prints,  they  are  fine. — Earl  E. 
Wells. 

They  are  surely  a  great  improvement  over  the  shape 
illustrations  in  the  new  Standard.  I  will  not  attempt  to 
make  any  special  comment,  onlv  that  I  like  them. — Wm. 
l".  Brace. 


It  is  my  opinion  that  the  sketches  of  the  Leghorn 
male  and  female  that  you  sent  me  are  away  ahead  of  the 
illustrations  in  the  Standard.  However,  I  would  suggest 
trifle  longer  wattles  on  the  female,  for  as  she  appears  in 
the  sketch,  her  head  looks  chunky.  Cannot  see  where  any 
change  could  be  made  in  the  male. — E.  C.  Gilbert. 

The  blade  of  the  comb  on  male  is  not  deep  enough 
and  the  tail  is  too  prominent.  The  body  is  too  long;  sug- 
gest taking  a  quarter  of  an  inch  right  through  the  saddle 
from  a  point  on  the  back  where  the  main  tail  joins.  The 
female  cannot  be  improved. — O.  M.  Robbins. 


WHITE    LEGHORNS    FORAGING 


Standard  Color  and  Feather  Markings — Brown  L(  • 

Plate  I  — Illustrating  the  color  and  markings  on  plumage  of  modern  Standard-bred  Brown  Llk 
selected  by  expert  breeders  from  noted  winners  and  representing  the  nearest  approach  to  the  ideal  thus  far 
3.  Wing  bar  or  covert.     4.  Saddle  hackle.     5.   Tail  covert. 


Standard  Color  and  Feather  Markings —  Brown  Leghorn  Female 

Plate  II  —  Reproducing  the  color  and  markings  of  modern  Standard-bred  Brown  Leghorn  females  that  have  been  recognized  by 
as  the  nearest  approach  to  whut  they  agree  is  required  by  the  1910  edition  of  the  Standard  of  Perfection.  1.  Neck.  2.  Breast.  3.  Wii 
sides.     4.  Wing  secondary.     5.   Back.     6.  Saddle. 


CHAPTER  III 


Single  Comb  Brow^n  Leghorns 

[istory  of  Their  Development — Uniform  Flocks  Bred  Thirty  Years  Ago — Jndges    Differed  Then  More 

Widely    Than    Now  — Old    Style    Leghorns    Described  — Factors    that    Have    Brought    the 

Brown    Leghorns    to    Their    Present    Excellence  —  Changes    ia    Scale    of 

Points,  Shane  and    Color — Ideal  Leghorns  of  Today. 

AHhnr   C.    Smith 


I  AM  very  glad  to  furnish  the  readers  of  this  book 
with  whatever  knowledge  has  come  within  the 
scope  of  my  observations  during  the  twenty  years 
that  I  have  been  a  breeder  and  exhibitor  of  this  ever  pop- 
ular variety,  and  those  facts  which  I  picked  up  during  the 
few  years  previous.  It  was  the  ambition  of  my  boyhood 
to  own  the  best  Brown  Leghorns  that  any  one  owned 
and  therefore  I  began  to  study  them  as  seen  at  the  shows 
in  my  locality,  about  1880  or  a  year  or  two  sooner. 

I  have  also  recollection  of  a  fine  flock  of  these  fowls 
that  was  kept  on  the  next  place  in  the  early  70's.  These 
may' or  may  not  have  been  "diamonds  of  the  first  water," 
but  they  were  uniform  as  a  flock.  The  females  were  me- 
dium brown  in  color,  but  the  males  were  rather  light  red 
or  yellow  in  hackle  and  saddle.  These  birds  were  in  gen- 
eral appearance  much  the  same  as 
those  of  the  early  80's.  They  were 
large  in  body,  short  in  legs,  and 
heavy  in  combs.  Briefly  put,  the  gen- 
eral tendency  during  the  past  thirty 
years  has  been  to  develop  a  dark 
red.  even  colored  male  and  a  finely 
penciled,  seal  brown  female.  This,  so 
far  as  color  is  concerned,  may  be  said 
to  be  the  goal  of  our  ambitions.  To 
trace  the  revolution  of  the  modern 
Brown  Leghorns,  step  by  step,  but 
simply  in  outline,  will  be  the  aim  of 
the  greater  part  of  this  article.  If 
some  of  the  older  exhibitors  would 
give  us  a  treatise  on  this  subject,  con- 
sidering the  years  covered  by  each 
standard  as  a  period  of  flight  of  steps 
in  the  ascent  to  perfection,  and  each 
year  as  a  step,  it  would  form  an  in- 
structive and  interesting  work. 

The  Old  Type  of  Leghorn 

The  type  then  was  certainly  dif- 
ferent from  the  type  of  today,  but 
the  male  has  not  changed  to  so  great 
an  extent  as  the  female.  Judges  dif- 
fered in  their  opinion  in  those  days 
much  more  than  they  do  today, 
therefore,  the  winning  specimens 
often  showed  a  great  variety  of  types. 

The  males  of  the  early  80's  were 
as  a  rule  very  much  lighter  in  neck 
and  saddle  than  those  of  today.  A 
male  without  a  pronounced  yellow 
saddle  was  the  exception.  Still,  it  is 
a  fact  that  other  things  being  equal, 
the  darker  male  usually  won.  There 
was  at  that  time  as   now.  a  constant 


leaning   toward    darker     color     and    there   appeared   occa- 
sionally a  male  as  dark  as  those  of  today. 

But  with  all  the  changes  in  the  type  of  the  male,  they 
are  comparatively  small  when  considered  with  the  changes 
made  in  the  type  of  female.  This  sex  had  ha  dly  outgrown 
the  appellation  of  Red  Leghorn,  which  was  applied  to  it 
from  the  very  first.  The  breast  was  rather  reddish 
salmon.  The  wings  were  red,  or  bricky,  as  they  were 
called  and  the  neck  weak  in  striping,  while  the  back  and 
wings  showed  prominent  light  shafting  and  the  pencihng 
was  much  coarser  than  it  is  at  the  present  time. 

The  Old  Standards. 

The  standards  of  1875,  1879,  and  1883  are  practically 
identical  and  call  for  a  long,  well  a.ched  and  well  hackled 


-^fe^^' 


^:«^^ 


S.    C.   BROWN  LEGHORN   HEN   "PRIDE   OF  LEGHORN   ALLEY" 


3G 


THE   LEGHORXS 


neck,  the  hackles  being  a  rich  golden  bay,  striped  with 
black.  This  is  substantially  the  language  in  all  these 
standards,  but  like  some  phrases  in  the  present  standard, 
it  is  capable  of  an  elastic  interpretation.  The  necks  were, 
as  a  rule,  darker  than  the  words  "rich  golden  bay"  would 
imply,  the  top  being  darker  than  the  base. 

The  wording  of  these  standards  on  back  is,  to  say  the 
least,  peculiar  and  leaves  us  in  doubt  as  to  just  what  is 
meant.  The  reading  of  this  section  is:  "Very  dark  red, 
approaching  black  on  the  lower  parts,  each  feather 
striped  with  golden  bay."  This  certainly  reads  as  though 
the  standard  makers  intended  to  get  very  dark  red  feath- 
ers with  broad  golden  bay  shafts.  The  males  of  those 
days  did  show  what  would  today  be  considered  very 
broad  shafting,  but  it  hardly  amounted  to  a  stripe  even  in 
the  most  pronounced  examples.  That  the  black-striped 
saddles  were  in  vogue  and  found  favor  as  early  as  '82  or 
'83,  perhaps  before,  is  certain.  The  writer  secured  a  male 
as  early  as  '83  or  '84  that  was  so  strong  in  that  particular 
as  one  could  be.  and  it  was  purchased  of  Tait  and 
Baldwin,  which  firm  had  won  largely  at  the  National 
show  at  \\'orcester  in  1883.  This  bird  was  a  large  six- 
pound,  vigorous  fellow  and  the  results  of  his  influence  is 
often  noted  in  the  flock  even  now. 

The  Dark  Craze 

The  language  of  these  standards  shows  plainly  that 
an  even  colored  bird,  that  is,  one  the  same  shade  of  red 
in   hackle  and   saddle,  was'  not  desired.      The    birds  were 


S.  C.  BROWN  LEGHORN  COCKEREL 


WORCESTER  VIII'" 

Bred  and 


much  darker  at  the  top  of  the  neck  than  at  the  base,  and 
rather  darker  on  the  back  and  wing  bow  than  on  the 
saddle.  The  dark  birds  grew  in  popularity  during  the 
80's  until  they  reached  a  point  where  the  red  was  so  dark 
that  it  could  scarcely  be  distinguished  from  the  black. 
Most  of  these  birds  were  still  some  shades  lighter  at  the 
very  base  of  the  hackle. 

This  lack  of  contrast  in  the  two  colors  gave  the  birds 
a  dingy  look  and  a  reaction  followed. 

This  was  before  the  days  of  double  or  special  mat- 
ings  for  either  sex.  Each  mating  was  supposed  to  pro- 
duce good  males  and  females,  and  while  some  did  pro- 
duce good  males  and  poor  females  and  vice  versa,  it  was 
merely  accidental  and  far  from  being  the  result  of  any  de- 
sign or  foresight  of  the  breeder. 

It  was  but  natural  then,  that  while  the  males  were 
growing  darker  the  females  were  also  and,  as  that  is  their 
tendency  in  a  dark  line,  they  became  very  dark  and  were, 
as  a  rule,  coarsely  penciled.  They  were  not  much  in  dis- 
favor, however,  for  a  time,  and  I  have  seen  females  almost 
black  score  93  to  94  points.  Light  shafting  was  still 
prominent  in  the  back  and  wing,  but  the  latter  did  not 
show  as  much  of  the  red  as  formerly.  About  the  happiest 
result  of  the  "dark  craze"  or  "black  craze,"  I  was  about 
to  call  it,  was  that  we  were  permitted  to  see  a  very  few 
males  of  that  seal  brown  plumage,  free  from  shafting  and 
also  free  from  the  reddish  or  bricky  shadings  that  were 
ever  so  distasteful. 

Reaction  Against  Dark  Birds 

The  reaction  against  the  "crows," 
^       ^  i-~  some  called  them,  had  been  grow- 

\,  __/  ing   and   became   a    strong   movement 

during  1886-1888.  Several  men  had 
been  breeding  from  both  lighter 
males  and  females  all  along,  and 
previous  to  these  dates  had  received 
ume  recognition,  but  they  were  now 
in  a  fair  way  to  obtain  reward  for 
their  firmness  and  perseverance.  The 
ni  jvement  for  lighter  males  halted  at 
t  e  "middle  ground,"  but  that  for 
luhter  females  went  farther  and  we 
d  our  "penciled  with  a  golden 
1)1  own"  standard.  That  meant  that 
the  lighter  markings  of  back  and 
wing  should  be  of  a  yellowish  brown 
shade.  This  style  of  a  female  became 
\ery  popular.  The  shade  of  color  on 
tlie  back  and  wings  outweighed 
e\erything  else.  Coarse  pencilings, 
ght  shafting,  red  wings,  weak 
hackles,  poor  combs,  light  or  dark 
coloied  legs  were  all  admissible  so 
long  as  that  one  thing  desired — a 
golden  brown  penciled  back — was 
present.  In  other  words,  just  as  we 
were  on  the  road  to  the  handsomest 
and  most  admired  type — a  seal 
brown,  free  from  shafting  in  back 
nid  wing  and  clear  salmon  in  breast 
— the  standar;!  makers  allowed  them- 
clves  to  be  pushed  too  far  by  popu- 
lar clamor  and,  in  the  opinion  of  the 
writer,  went  even  farther  than  the 
popular  demand. 

Th  se  golden  brown  females  were 
"the  thing"  for  several  years  and 
for  a  time  the  orange  red  males  lost 


THE   LEGHORNS 


nuiie  01  their  popularity.  A  growing  dislike  of  the  lighter 
color  at  the  base  of  the  neck  was  soon  apparent  to  the 
best  breeders,  and  even  surface  color  was  sought  by  the 
most  progressive.  "I  do  not  like  that  light  ring  at  the 
base  of  the  neck,"  was  a  phrase  applied  to  many  a  bird  of 
unquestioned  merit.  In  deference  to  this  demand  for  an 
even  colored  bird,  the  last  standard  was  made  to  call  for  a 
dark,  rich  red,  having  one  shade  of  red  in  hackle,  saddle, 
back,  shoulders  and  wing-bows,  or  in  all  red  sections. 

Double  Mating  a  Necessity 

With  the  demand  for  colored  males,  there  still  re- 
mained the  preference  for  the  golden  brown  female.  This 
dissimilarity  of  popular  types  in  male  and  female  is  re- 
sponsible for  our  double  matings.  They  came  as  an  abso- 
lute necessity  when  light  females  and  dark  males  were 
winning  under  our  best  judges.  It  should  not  be  for- 
gotten that  the  practice  of  double  matings  became  uni- 
versal when  the  breeders  realized  that  light  females  and 
dark  males  could  not  be  produced  from  one  mating. 

There  soon  came  a  change  in  the  popular  idea  of  what 
a  model  female  should  be.  Breeders  realized  after  five  or 
six  years'  work  with  the  golden  brown  penciling  that  the 
Standard,  by  binding  them  to  one  precise  and  exact  shade 
of  color,  barred  out  some  of  the  most  taking  and  desir- 
able females.  Be  what  they  might  in  shape,  in  color  of 
breast  and  neck  and  in  penciling,  they  seldom  would  win 
without  that  one  feature  of  overwhelming  merit — a 
golden  brown  back.  This  one  quality  outweighed  every- 
thing else.  Good  penciling,  rich  yellow  legs,  a  nicely 
striped  neck,  a  splendid  head  and  grand  shape  were  as 
nothing  when  compared  to  a  golden  brown  back.  The 
breeders  gradually  realized  the  absurdity  of  this  position. 
A  change  was  demanded  which  should  recognize  fine  pen- 
ciling of  two,  and  only  two,  shades  of  brown  in  back  and 
wing,  thereby  eliminating  that  lighter  shafting  and  placing 
on  equal  footing  all  shades  of  brown,  so  long  as  each  was 
a  soft,  rich  brown. 

Changes  in  Scale  of  Points 

The  scale  of  points  has  changed  somewhat.  Now  a 
good  hackle  and  saddle  will  sell  a  bird,  but  then  only  five 
points  were  allotted  to  each  of  these  sections,  while  the 
comb  counted  fifteen  points  and  the  wattles  and  lobe? 
were  regarded  as  equally  important.  The  growing  im- 
portance of  color  can  be  seen  by  following  the  changes  in 
the  scale  of  points.  In  the  scales  of  1875  and  1879,  comb, 
wattles  and  lobes  counted  fifteen  points  each,  while  the 
head  counted  seven.  This  gave  a  total  of  thirty-seven 
points,  over  one-third  the  total  valuation  of  the  bird,  to 
the  head  alone,  while  the  important  color  sections,  viz.: 
Hackle,  saddle  and  wings,  were  given  only  fifteen  points, 
both  for  shape  and  color.  Symmetry,  size  and  condition 
-'Glinted  thirty  points  more,  thus  leaving  but  thirty-three 
:  the  shape  and  color  of  the  entire  specimen.  The 
■jr.'  of  1883  revised  that  considerably  by  cutting  the 
■  •-..L.,.  lobes  and  wattles  down  to  ten  points  each  while 
ri.ndition  and  size  were  cut  to  eight  and  five  points  re- 
spectively. Neck  and  back  were  raised  to  seven  points 
and  wmgs  very  properly  to  eight  points.  This  scale  has 
remained  except  that  in  1888  shape  and  color  valuations 
were  divided  and  in  the  last  Standard  five  more  points 
were  given  to  size,  these  being  taken  from  head,  symmetry 
and  condition. 

Ideal  Leghorns  of  Today 

What  the  Brown  Leghorn  of  the  future  will  be  re- 
mains to  be  seen.  The  present  ideal  in  males  is  a  dark, 
rich  red  of  the  same  shade  in  all  red   sections — an   even 


surface  colored  bird  with  strongly  striped  neck  and  saddle. 
yellow  legs  that  are  what  the  name  implies  and  a  good, 
five  point  comb,  free  from  those  hideous  thutnb  marks 
and  wrinkles  which  are  more  objectionable  than  too  many 
or  too  few  serrations.  Such  a  bird  is  and  will  be  popular. 
The  shade  of  black  in  breast,  wing-bar,  tail,  body  and  fluff 
should  be  a  greenish  black.  The  purple  shade  should  be 
carefully  avoided  as  it  is  associated  almost  always  with 
minute  bronze  bars  across  the  feathers,  which  if  present 
are  most  pronounced  in  the  wing-bars  and  coverts  of  the 
tail.  This  is  an  objection  that  has  been  much  overlooked 
in  past  years,  but  one  that  is  certainly  meeting  with  great 
disfavor  at  the  present  time. 

The  female  has  been  pretty  well  described  in  a  prev- 
ious paragraph,  but  the  bird  that  has  the  seal  brown  shade 


SINGLE  COMB  BROWN  LEGHORN  COCK 
The  illustration  above  was  drawn  from  life  by  Frank- 
lane  L.  Sewell,  at  the  Chicago  Show  in  1904.  and  is  one  of 
the  best  portraits  of  an  adult  Brown  Leghorn  male  we  have 
ever  seen.  But  "Chicago  Wonder"  was  a  remarkably  fine 
specimen,  being  almost  ideal  in  shape,  size  and  color,  a  rare 
combination  seldom  found  in  one  specimen.  Bred  and  ex- 
hibited by  William  Ellery  Bright,  Waltham,   Mass. 

on  back  and  wing  is  to  become  the  popular  favorite,  even 
i:  it  has  not  done  so  already.  Any  suggestion  of  red  on 
the  one  side  or  of  grey  on  the  other  will  not  be  tolerated 
for  a  moment  by  a  true  student  of  this  variety.  It  is,  or 
should  be.  a  Brown  Leghorn.  Grey  Leghorns  we  never 
had.  Red  Leghorns  we  did  away  with  long  ago. 
Changes  in  Shape 
Thus  far  nothing  has  been  said  of  the  change  in  shape 
during  all  these  years.  There  seems  to  be  a  general  ten- 
dency in  all  breeds  to  grow  smaller  and  Leghorns  are  not 
the  exception  to  the  rule,  but  rather  a  close  exponent  of 
it.  The  Leghorns  of  the  early  80's  were  many  of  them 
large  in  body,  but  shorter  in  legs  and  coarser  in  head  than 
those  of  today.  They  gradually,  but  somewhat  rapidly, 
decreased  in  size  until  they  became  so  small  that  in  1890, 


THE   LEGHORNS 


or  about  that  time,  a  concerted  movement  was  started  to 
increase  the  size  of  this  variety.  This  met  with  success 
and  in  a  few  instances  was  overdone  to  so  great  an  extent 
that  some  strains  lost  all  semblance  to  Leghorn  shape, 
being  too  long  in  body  and  too  flat  on  the  back  for  typical 
Leghorns.  Such  are  valuable  as  breeders  with  smaller 
strains  of  well  formed  birds,  but  the  extreme  size  that  de- 
stroys and  makes  Leghorn  shape  impossible  should  be 
discouraged. 

You  may  ask,  "To  what  do  we  owe  the  improvement 
in    Brown    Leghorns?"      To   just    two    things.      First,    the 


Standard  is  now  just  what  the  breeders  want,  and,  second, 
the  judges  are  men  who  have  bred  these  birds.  Formerly 
every  show  hired  three  judges,  one  for  the  -American 
class,  one  for  the  Asiatic  class  and  one  for  pigeons.  The 
Tfmaining  classes  had  to  take  the  judge  that  finished  first. 
Lxhibitors  suffered  much  from  these  well  meaning  but 
incompetent  men.  It  is  only  within  the  past  four  years 
that  a  Brown  Leghorn  breeder  has  been  selected  to  judge 
a  show  of  such  magnitude  and  importance  as  the  Madison 
Square  Garden  show.  The  result  has  been  far  reaching  in 
aiding  the  establishment  of  the  true  type. 


Color  Breeding  in  BroM^n  Leghorns 


[istory  of  the  Production  of  Some  of  the  Finest  Brown  Leghorns  Ever   Produced— Star  Birds  of  Other 
Days,    and    the    Ideals    to  Which    they   Were    Bred— Remarkable    Results    Obtained    by    the 
Crossing    of    a    Black    Leghorn    and    a    Brown    Leghorn    Male — Double 
Mating  is  Essential 


THE  writer  may  as  well  confess  that  his  taking  up 
color  breeding  in  Brown  Leghorns  was  merely  an 
accident  of  circumstances.  A  shift  of  the  wheel  of 
life  made  it  again  possible  to  breed  chickens  and  some  real 
good  Single  Comb  Brown  Leghorns,  from  which  eggs  for 
hatching  at  a  low  price  could  be  had,  being  handy,  a  start 
was  made  with  them. 

'  The  Madison  Square  Garden  poultry  show  was  then  a 
comijarativeiy  new  thing  and  wishing  to  know,  at  first 
hand,  ju<t  what  the  color  of  Brown  Leghorns  was.  or  had 


to   be,   we   visited    the   above   exhibition    several   years   in 
succession,  practically  for  this  express  purpose. 

Those  were  the  days  when  "Chet"  Howell  and  George 
Burgott  were  showing  their  then  famous  females — 
"Venus,"  "Venus  H"  and  "Nina"  and  "Nina  III;"  while 
in  the  winnings  James  Forsyth  and  Wm.  Ellery  Bright 
were  to  be  reckoned  with,  both  in  males  and  females,  W. 
W.  Kulp  appearing  just  a  little  later  with  a  wonderfully 
colored  male,  followed  by  Herbert  Smith  with  a  really 
.-cn=ational  bird. 


A   Great  Trio  of  Brown   Leghorns 


Winning  the  blue  ribbon  at  New  YoiU 
achievement.  Grove  Hiil  Poultry  Farm  did  this 
type  and  style  combined. 


THE   LEGHORNS 


39 


We  have  or  had  some  feathers  from  both  the  Howell 
and  the  Burgott  champion  females  as  well  as  from  some 
of  the  males  mentioned  and  they  are  particularly  interest- 
ing after  this  lapse  of  years. 

Light  colored  females  and  heavily  striped  males  at 
no  matter  what  cost  as  to  other  qualities  were  then  de- 
manded. The  writer  thought  he  knew  then  considerable 
about  the  theory  of  color  breeding  and  was  endeavoring 
to  put  his  beliefs  and  theories  into  practice.  It  was  as 
easy  as  seeing  a  haystack  that  color  was  the  big  IT  in 
Brown  Leghorns,  as  it  is 
in  fact  today,  and  prob- 
ably   always    will    be. 

About    Single    Mating 

The  first  two  years 
was  wasted  in  following 
the  will-o'-the-wisp  of 
single  mating  this  va- 
riety and  I  should  like 
here  to  emphasize  that 
word  "wasted."  Plenty 
of  advice  could  be  found 
in  the  poultry  papers  of 
those  days  how  to  single 
mate  for  results  or,  if 
using  double  mating, 
what  to  look  for  and 
what  to  avoid  in  the 
color  and  marking  of 
the  breeders.  When  put 
into  practice  these 
proved  themselves  to  be 
all  wrong  and  in  the 
light  of  what  I  now 
know — which,  by  the 
way,  is  not  nearly  as 
much  as  I  should  like 
to  know — I  cannot  re- 
member a  single  article 
that  was  of  any  value  to 
me. 

The  theory  that 
Brown  Leghorns  being 
of  the  black-red  type  or 
of  the  natural  color 
scheme  as  found  in  the 
parent  stock  of  the  galli- 
naceous  race    should    be 

easy  to  modify  or  control,  soon  had  to  goto  smash.  It  was 
true  all  right  that  red  pigment  is  never  found  to  exist  alone 
in  the  plumage  of  fowls,  but  how  to  modify  what  red  there 
was  into  a  light  brown,  in  fact,  how  to  make  out  a  red 
Leghorn  a  light,  soft  brown  one,  free  from  the  glaring 
faults  that  went  with  this  color,  seemed  well  nigh  im- 
possible and  was  impossible  in  a  single  mating.  The 
heavy,  striping,  too,  in  males  seemed  foreign  to  the  black- 
red  male  and  it  was  some  talk  overheard  at  the  Garden 
show  that  a  certain  breeder  had  used  Partridge  Cochin 
blood  to  get  size  in  females  and  color  in  males,  that  gave 
me  the  idea  that  there  might  be  something  better  used  to 
produce  brilliancy  and   striping  in  males. 

After  about  a  year's  search  a  Black  Leghorn  female 
was  found  that  promised  well  and  having  a  splendid 
briglit  male  the  two  were  mated.  The  results  surpassed 
all  expectations  and  at  one  jump,  from  having  little  or  no 
striping,  there  was  striping  to  burn.  An  abundance  of 
black  pigment  had  been  supplied  and  the  reserve  laid  by 


A  FAMOUS  BROWN  LEGHORN  HEN 

The    Single     Comb     Brown     Leghorn     hen     illustia 
Arthur  C.  Smith,   manager  of  Grove  Hill  Poultry  Yard.s 
be  the  greatest  Brown  Leghorn  hen  that  ever 
first  prizes  at  Philadelphia,  one  "'  ^^-—  ^^--.- 
American  Exposi  '  "         ' 

at  all  of  the  abo 


to  last  for  many  years.  The  young  males  from  tliis  mating 
had  such  brilliancy  of  plumage  that  the  tails  were  not 
figuratively,  but  actually  green.  They  were  coveted,  too, 
but  none  were  sold  the  first  year.  Then  the  second  year 
some  were  sold  (six  in  one  week  at  $25.00  each)  and  later 
on,  eggs  for  hatching  were  sold.  It  is  to  be  feared,  judg- 
ing by  the  letters  they  wrote,  that  some  of  the  buyers  of 
these  eggs  still  believe  me  to  be  a  rascal.  The  pullets 
from  those  eggs,  or  the  most  of  them,  would  grow  up 
with  dark,  almost  black  legs  and  without  the  usual  salmon 
colored  breasts,  the 
breast  being  of  the  same 
color  as  that  of  the  back. 
Writing  these  people, 
that  they  were  from 
cockerel  line  matings 
and  very  dark  blood  on 
the  female  side  would 
not   satisfy  all  of  them. 

Persistence  in  dis- 
carding any  females  for 
breeding  that  did  not 
have  a  good  strong 
hackle  and  plenty  of 
green  sheen  showing 
over  back  and  tail  made 
it  comparatively  easy  to 
hold  brilliancy  and  color 
in  the  males  and,  as 
showing  how  good  blood 
will  persist  in  cropping 
up,  one  of  the  best  males 
that  has  appeared  within 
the  last  two  or  three 
years,  or  for  that  mat- 
ter, that  has  ever  ap- 
peared, is  a  direct  de- 
scendant of  that  Black 
Leghorn  hen  and  the 
bright  male. 

Honor    to    George    H. 
Morris 

About  1896  I  made 
the  acquaintance  at  New 
York  show  of  a  man 
who  has  done  more  for 
good  colored  Brown 
Leghorns  than  any  other 
man  living  or  dead.  I  refer  to  George  H.  Morris,  of  East 
Orange,  New  Jersey,  who  was  exhibiting  a  hen  at  the 
Garden  that  year  that  did  not  get  a  place.  Later  on  this 
man  by  a  happy  union  of  Howell  and  Burgott  blood,  pro- 
duced a  pullet  that  in  February,  1899,  won  second  place  at 
Madison  Square  Garden. 

Perhaps  as  much  as  90  per  cent  of  the  show  Brown 
Leghorn  females  of  this  country  today  carry  in  their  veins 
the  blood  of  this  female.  Practically  no  other  blood 
has  won  at  the  Garden  since  and  even  in  very  late 
years  females  have  appeared  at  this  show  that  were  the 
simon-pure  descendants  of  this  female.  Mr.  Morris  made 
few  friends,  but  with  those  he  did  make  he  was  willing  to 
discuss  Brown  Leghorn  color  breeding  by  the  hour.  He 
never  advertised;  he  never  sold  any  birds.  He  bred  his 
famous  strain  or  family  only  a  few  years,  but  in  those  few 
years  he  built  well.  To  this  foundation  it  was  left  to  the 
vi^riter  mostly,  in  the  years  following,  to  build  on  in  kind. 
Mr.   Morris   believed  in  using  a  male,  for  pullet  line 


New  York, 
She  also  bred  fir 
shows  and  other  shows. 


She  won  two 
and  the  Pan- 
prize  winners 


40 


THE   LEGHORN'S 


breeding,  that  was  the  result  of  line  inbreeding  good  fe- 
males for  a  series  of  generations,  no  matter  how  said  male 
looked.  Particularly  was  he  indifferent  to  how  far  he 
failed  to  line  up  to  the  then  accepted  idea  of  how  a  pullet 
line  male  should  look.  What  selec.ing  he  did,  he  did  be- 
fore the  future  sire  was  six  weeks  old.  He  so  strongly 
believed  in  his  theory  that  one  year  finding  only  one  baby 
cockerel  to  suit  him,  he  destroyed  all  the  rest.  The  baby 
cockerel  that  was  to  be  a  future  sire  had  to  have  the  real, 
soft,  brown  color  and  be  linely  and  evenly  stippled  all. 
over.  Such  birds  were  not  plenty,  but  after  some  years  of 
breeding  such  and  such  only,  some  of  these  baby  cock- 
erels would  carry  these  stippled  and  soft  brown  feathers 
in  back,  wing  and  saddle  hangers  even  into  adult  plumage. 

Two  Lines  of  Blood 
On  our  place  at  Alientown,  every  hen  was  trap-nested 
and  a  strict  and  honest  pedigree  was  kept,  not  necessarily 
for  publication  but  for  our  own  protection  and  advance- 
ment. The  interesting  fact  developed  that  while  this  orig- 
inal hen  and  much  of  her  get  were  strongly  prepotent  or 
bad  in  them  the  ability  to  breed  on,  there  were  really  two 
lines  of  blood  in  the  family — what  might  be  called  a  pre- 
dominant line  and  a  dormant  line.  Whenever  this  dor- 
mant line  asserted  itself  there  was  a  marked  difference  in 
the  shade  of  color  and  the  quality  of  the  stippling  and 
curiously  enough  usually  a  variation  from  the  type.  The 
predominant  line  also  frequently  split  up  and  gave  an  ofT- 
•colored  specimen.  Knowing  intimately  ail  the  history  of 
this  family  I  believe  I  can  explain  these  marked  variations. 


WINNING    BROWN    LEGHORN    HEN 
One    of   the   most    remarkable   Brown    Leghorn    hens   in    color   markings 


To  start  with,  there  was  undoubtedly  a  dash  of  cockerel 
line  blood  in  the  make-up  of  the  original  mother  hen  and 
in  a  future  generation  a  half-blood  male  of  the  family  was 
used.  The  explanation  of  why  the  party  who  got  the  bulk 
of  Mr.  Morris"  famous  and  unrivaled  string  of  Madison 
Square  Garden  winning  females  never  accomplished  much, 
is  that  he  had  such  a  male  only. 

The  males  of  this  line  were  most  decidedly  not  much 
to  look  at.  "In  all  the  good  ones  the  black  was  entirely 
lacking  in  lustre  and  of  a  peculiar  quality  readily  recog- 
nized by  the  initiated.  Many  of  them  had  no  red  in  the 
wing-bows  and  altogether  they  were  an  unlikely  looking 
lot.  Inbreeding  of  the  deepest  kind  made  little  or  no 
color  changes  in  these  males,  while  intelligent  selection 
coupled  with  the  strict  and  glaring  white  light  of  the  trap- 
nest  steadily  continued  to  improve  and  refine  the  females. 
"Orange  II,"  a  male  direct  from  Mr.  Morris  and  the 
twice  inbred  son  of  the  original  hen,  on  his  looks,  would 
not  have  sold  for  $2.00,  yet,  without  a  question,  he  was 
the  strongest  sire  in  his  variety,  that  ever  lived.  Bred 
back  to  his  own  daughters  down  to  the  third  generation 
the  zenith  of  his  breeding  powers  was  reached  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1904.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  the  writer  had 
gathered  together  on  one  run  forty-two  selected  pullets, 
every  one  of  which  was  a  star.  Running  with  them  were 
a  few  extra  choice  old  hens,  including  the  old  original  hen 
then  still  living  in  fine  health,  but  no  longer  laying.  Such 
a  bunch  of  superbly  colored  Brown  Leghorn  females  had 
never  been  gathered  together  before  and  perhaps  never 
will  be  again.  Many  of  the  pullets  were  on  the  point  of 
starting  laying.  All  of  them  died  of 
criminal  poisoning,  most  of  them 
being  dead  before  the  act  was  discov- 
ered. Although  this  reason  was  never 
given,  it  was  the  real  reason  why  the 
business  was  sold  to  Exmoor  Farms 
in  December.  The  latter  a  few  weeks 
later  won  first,  second  and  third  in 
both  hen  and  pullet  classes  at  N.  Y. 
Throughout  his  breeding  opera- 
tions with  Brown  Leghorns  the 
writer  never  allowed  himself  to  be 
scared  into  discarding  a  breeder  with 
a  white  tip  or  even  occasionally  with 
white  undercolor.  Being  an  inbreeder 
of  the  deepest  dye  he  was  only  afraid 
of  lowered  vitality,  being  well  aware 
that  burning  a  candle  at  both  ends 
was  suicide.  Hence  white  flights  and 
white  tips  were  to  him  merely  a  re- 
minder that  he  had  sinned  somewhere 
in  the  handling  or  feeding.  Another 
thing  he  will  always  regret,  that  it 
was  not  until  in  the  winter  of  1900 
that  he  began  to  appreciate  the  value 
of  cold,  fresh  air  on  the  color  and 
plumage  of  Brown  Leghorns. 

Color  disqualifications  should  be 
removed  from  Brown  Leghorns  and 
the  writer  is  unqualifiedly  committed 
to  working  towards  this  end.  For  in- 
stance, a  male  with  a  green  stripe 
and  a  tail  showing  green  lustre  with 
a  white  undercolor,  is  a  hundred  times 
more  beautiful  and  valuable  than  a 
dingy  purple  and  purple  barred  one — 
a  kind  all  too  common  in  the  sho.v 
room  of  today. 


Thirty  Years  Amon^  BroM^n  Leghorns 


of  a  Veteran  Ponltry  Breeder  and  Judge 


George    H.    Burtoll 


THE  winter  of  1879  brought  a  poultry  show  at  Buf- 
falo, New  York,  and  as  our  next  neighbor,  Mr.  A. 
F.  Conger,  had  arranged  to  attend  it,  my  mother 
was  persuaded  to  allow  me  to  accompany  him  to  this 
show.  It  was  held  in  the  ice  skating  rink,  later  occupied 
by  the  Cutler  Desk  Company,  and  which  is  now  the 
Garden  Theatre.  This  trip  I  well  remember;  it  was  here 
that  I  lirst  saw  Philander  Williams,  J.  Y.  Bicknell,  Chas. 
H.  Sweet,  George  C.  Bucknam  and  I  think  Eldridgc 
Comey.  I  believe  W.  H.  Todd  was  also  pointed  out  to 
me.  I  looked  the  birds  over  carefully,  and  how  I  did  ad- 
mire the  Plymouth  Rocks  and  Brown  Leghorns,  and  it 
was  at  this  show  that  I  was  made  a  fancier. 

In  the  spring  of  1880  my  mother  was  appealed  to  for 
funds  to  purchase  eggs.  I  decided  to  place  my  order  with 
C.  A.  Keefer,  a  popular  breeder  of  Plymouth  Rocks  and 
Bruwn  Leghorns,  for  a  sitting  of  each.  Mr.  Conger  placed 
hi>  order  with  W.  E.  Bonney  for  Brown  Leghorns  and 
with  Sid  Conger  for  Plymouth  Rocks;  this  giving  us  a 
combination  of  eastern  and  western  breeders'  stock,  so 
that  we  might  exchange  birds  in  the  fall. 

The  result  of  my  hatch  from  26  eggs  was  12  Brown 
Leghorns  and  10  Plymouth  Rocks. 
This  appealed  to  my  father  and 
mother  as  a  wonderful  result  for 
eggs  having  been  transported 
about  600  miles.  Twenty  cliRk-, 
raised    to    maturitj'. 

First  Exhibit  Made  in  1881 
My  first  exhibit  was  at  Spring 
villc,  X.  Y.,  January  12  to  14  1881, 
winning  second  prize  on  cockerel 
and  pullet  in  Rocks  and  second 
prize  on  cockerel  and  pullet  in 
Legho.ns.  J.  Y.  Bicknell  was  the 
judge  and  I  was  decidedly  happy 
with  my  scores  and  winnings  A 
cockerel  was  disposed  of  at  $5  00, 
and  I  well  remember  that  my 
father  could  not  realize  that  a 
single  bird  should  bring  that 
amount,  even  though  the  eggs  had 
cost  $4,00  per  13. 

The  following  year  at  the  age 
of  18.  I  showed  at  Syracuse,  N 
Y.,  Springville,  N.  Y.,  and  Cobles 
kill.  N.  Y.,  and  Lancaster  Pa 
under  Judge  Bicknell,  Newton 
Adams  and  Capt.  James  E.  White 
I  have  before  me  a  copy  of  the 
••Poultry  World,"  Vol.  10,  No  5 
May  1881.  I  note  photograph  en 
gravings  of  Capt.  White  and 
others,  who  were  connected  with 
the    revision    of    the    Standard    in 


barred  out.  Mr.  Bicknell,  however,  was  instructed  by  the 
secretary,  Chas.  R.  Harker,  to  score  my  birds,  which  was 
some  satisfaction  to  me,  two  birds  receiving  scores  of  96}4. 

After  these  winnings,  not  being  satisfied  and  wishing 
to  see  what  others  had  done,  and  how  they  did  it,  a  trip 
was  made  to  Mr.  Reefer's  yards  at  Sterling.  111.,  and  it 
was  on  this  trip  that  Capt.  J.  E.  White  and  Geo.  T.  Pit- 
kin gave  me  some  valuable  information  during  my  one 
day's  sojourn  with  them  at  Chicago.  I  think  this  was  in 
1883. 

Only  a  few  years  was  spent  in  breeding  Barred  Ply- 
mouth Rocks  and  my  stock  was  closed  out  to  Geo.  K. 
Siston,  a  banker  of  New  York. 

Color  of  Brown  Leghorn  Females 
The  color  of  the  female  Brown  Leghorn  from  1880  to 
1890  was  varied  by  a  cross  of  a  Keefer  female  and  a  Pot- 
tage male.  A  better  male  was  obtained  and  by  a  cross  of 
a  Keefer  male  and  female  the  better  male  was  obtained. 
These  two  lines  were  maintained  and  better  birds  were 
produced.  The  Browns  of  1880  to  1888-9  were  unlike  the 
Browns  of  today  in  both  type  and  color;  the  male  was  de- 


In  1885,  I  made  my  entry  of 
some  S.  C.  Brown  Leghorns  at 
the  old  Madison  Squai  e  Garden, 
but  on  account  of  belated  trains 
and   late   arrival     of   birds    I     was 


A,- 


SINGLE    COMB    BROWN    LEGHORN    HEN 
One  of  the  finest  specimens  of  a  Brown  Leghorn  female  ever  bred  or  exhibited  was 
Jina  C."  owned  and  exhibited  by  George  H.  Burgott.     In  style  and  shape  she  was 
ead  of  her  time,   while   in  color  and  stippling  she  was  equal   to   the  best   bred  and 


THE   LEGHORNS 


cidedly  light  in  color,  poor  in  lobes,  no  stripe  in  saddle, 
and  not  the  male  we  have  today.  The  female  was  de- 
cidedly dark  in  both  shades  of  brown  in  back,  wing  and 
tail  coverts,  with  nearly  a  red  breast;  not  a  bird  that  could 
be  admired  as  the  dainty  Browns  of  today. 

In  1894,  Madison  Square  Garden  Show  was  visited. 
Jas,  Forsyth,  Tenny  &  Harrington,  Geo.  H.  Gallinger  and 
several  others  were  exhibitors  in  Brown  Leghorns. 

The  idea  of  a  better  colored  specimen  was  eventually 
started  at  this  show,  and  when  the  revision  came  at  Bos- 
ton in  1898,  with  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Drevenstedt  and 
that  past  master  of  Browns,  F.  B.  Zimmer,  a  Standard 
was  formed  that  made  the  dainty  Brown  Leghorn  of  this 
date.     Type  in  the  Leghorn  was  also  looked  after. 

"Nina"  who  won  something  like  20  firsts  and  at  8 
years  old  won  first  at  Cleveland  show  at  the  Grand 
Central  Armory,  under  B.  N.  Pierce,  was  grandma  of 
Nina  C,  who  won  3  firsts  at  New  York,  1st  as  pullet  in 
1897,  1st  as  hen  in  1898  and  1899  and  her  line  is  very 
creditably  outlined  by  Mr.  Wittman's  valuable  article  on 
Browns  on  page  38. 

Jas.  Forsyth,  who  won  many  a  first  on  Browns  at 
New  York,  Madison  Square  Garden,  is  to  h■^  credited  for 
his  work  in  improving  them,  as  is  C.  E.  Mowell,  who 
showed  many  a  grand  "Venus"  line  female. 

It  was  at  this  time  when  Mr.  Morris  became  inter- 
ested and  did  so  much  scientific  work,  so  did  Mr.  Wittman 
begin  to  produce  some  elegant  birds.  I  will  never  forget 
the  many  questions  put  to  me  by  that  genial  gentleman, 
Mr.  Geo.  H.  Morris.  However,  he  accomplished  what  he 
desired  and  then  dropped  out. 

Judging  -Brown  Leghorns  to  many  breeders  may 
seem  an  easy  task,  but  my  thirty-one  years'  experience 
with  this  variety  has  convinced  me  otherwise.  It  has 
taught  me  to  use  caution  in  placing  awards  on  Brown 
Leghorns,  in  fact  too  much  caution  cannot  be  used  in 
executing  the  work  of  placing  the  awards. 


poll 


:'OMB    BRUW'N    LEGHORN    PULLET 
beautiful    pullet   in   color   markings,    with   nice  head 


Every  section  of  the  bird  must  be  carefully  examined, 
all  must  be  looked  after  in  surface  and  undercolor. 
This,  where  you  are  handling  from  IS  to  40  birds  in  a 
class,  must  all  be  conveyed  to  the  mind  and  left  there,  for 
the  final  roundup  of  the  winning  specimens.  To  all  this 
labor  is  added  the  shape  and  type  of  the  Leghorn  which 
also  must  be  borne  in  mind  when  making  the  final  awards. 

A  thorough  knowledge  of  the  Standard  and  the  ability 
to  apply  it,  as  well  as 


WifiNinc  Exhibition  Pen  S.C  Brown  Leghorns 
NEW  YORK.  MADlSm  SQUARE  GARDEN 

Bred  .Owned  ^nd  Exhibited  by 

ceo.  H.BuecoTT 


A    WINNING    PEN    AT    MADISON    SQUARE    GARDEN.    190S 

The  male  and  females  in  the  pen  illustrated  above,  not  only  exhibit  the  tine  color  marking 
but  show  the  sprightW  carriage  of  the  modern  Brown  Leghorn  and  represented  the  highe 
tvpes  of  Brown  Leghorns  in  vogue  in  1898. 


an  inborn  love  for  the 
breed,  are  necessary 
q  u  a  1  i  f  i  cations  when 
judging  Brown  Leg- 
horns or  any  other  va- 
riety of  poultry. 

The  recent  re- 
vision of  the  Standard, 
if  carefully  and  thor- 
oughly studied  will 
enable  the  breeder  to 
know  what  a  good 
Brown  Leghorn  is. 
The  best  and  briefest 
description  of  the 
proper  shade  of  color 
in  the  male  and  female 
is,  it  should  not  be  too 
light,  neither  too  dark. 
The  medium  shade  will 
catch  the  winnings.  If 
the  male  possesses  the 
Standard  requirements 
in  neck,  back,  wings 
and  the  same  applies 
to  the  female,  with 
good  headpoints,  these 
qualifications  will  bring 
the  specimen  well  up 
in  the  front. 


Brown  Leghorns,  Past  and  Present 

A  Review  of  the  Standard-Bred  Brown  Leghorns  ol  Twenty  Years  Ago  and  Those  of  Today 

Job.    F.    Carter 


BROWN  Leghorns  were  my  first  love  in  poultry,  and 
for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  I  clung  to 
them  with  almost  bull  dog  tenacity,  despite  the 
fact  that  the  Standard  has  done  more  to  injure  them  than 
a  dozen  years  of  good,  faithful  work,  on  the  part  of  those 
who  champion  their  cause,  can  undo.  However,  I  believe 
the  damage  will  be  undone  and  that  the  Brown  Leghorn 
will  again  come  into  its  own.  The  older  breeders  can  re- 
member that  wherever  one  went,  there  the  sprightly, 
brown,  egg-machines  were  decidedly  in  evidence. 

Double  Mating  Necessary  to  Produce  Desired  Color 

I  say  brown.  Are  the  rich,  soft,  brown  birds  to  be 
found  today  save  in  the  yards  of  those  breeders  who 
practice  double  mating?  Is  it  any  longer  possible  for  the 
average  man  who  keeps  a  flock  of  Browns  on  a  city  lot, 
say  "40  by  40,"  even  think  of  raising  some  of  the  pros- 
pective prize  winners?  Is  it  because  the  variety  is  any 
the  less  worthy  of  public  recognition  than  it  was  two, 
three  or  four  decades  ago,  that  we  see  so  few  of  them  as 
compared  with  those  times?  These  are  questions  that 
must  appeal  to  the  breeders  of  the  variety,  and  I  am 
pleased  to  note  that  they  are  sitting  up  to  take  notice  and 
that  those  most  interested  are  willing  to  admit  that  the 
black  stripe  in  the  saddle  has  destroyed  the  rich  golden 
brown  in  the  plumage  of  the  females. 

Color  Governed  by  the  Male 

As  an  evidence  of  this  fact,  I  will  give  you  an  illustra- 
tion. First,  every  intelligent  breeder  will  admit  that  size 
is  taken  from  the  female  and  that  color  is  governed  by 
the  male.  Having  settled  this  matter  in  our  minds,  let  us 
take  up  the  subject  of  the  pigment  or  coloring  matter  that 
enters  into  the  feathers.  Suppose  we  take  black,  red  and 
orange  (or  yellow)  and  mix  these  pigments  as  an  artist 
would,  a  color  printer  or  lithographer,  until  we  get  that 
soft,  rich  brown  with  which  the  female  Browns  were 
once  adorned.  We  noted  carefully  the  proportions  used 
and  made,  at  least,  a  mental  memorandum  of  it.  We  will 
now  take  the  same  colors  as  previously  used  and  will  cut 
away  twenty-five  per  cent,  of  the  red  and  orange  and  in 
its  stead  we  add  an  equal  amount  of  black.  Well,  that  is 
first  what  was  done  with  the  Brown  Leghorn  males.  And 
inasmuch  as  the  male  controls  the  color,  is  it  any  wonder 
that  the  females  of  today  are  anything  but  brown?  Shall 
we  sacrifice  the  color  of  all  the  females  for  the  purpose 
of  gratifying  the  idiosyncrasy  of  a  few  who  think  the 
black  stripe  in  the  saddle  of  the  male  is  more  to  be  con- 
sidered than  the  color  of  all  the  female  birds  to  say 
nothing  of  injuring  their  popularity  as  a  variety  of  a  noble 
breed? 

My  Early  Experience 

I  recall  that  many  years  ago  I  had  the  pleasure  of 
entertaining  a  prominent  poultry  judge.  I  remember  how 
enthusiastic  he  was  over  the  black  stripe  in  the  saddle 
that  was  fast  beginning  to  take  hold  upon  the  fanciers  of 
the  Browns.  I  remember,  too,  when  he  went  out  to  look 
over   my   flock,    his    exclamation:    "Oh!    you   are   a   pullet 


boy."  Yes  I  was.  But  I  didn't  know  as  much  about  color- 
ing material  then  as  I  do  now,  nor  did  I  realize  as  fully  as 
I  do  now  the  extent  to  which  the  male  bird  transmits  the 
coloring  matter  to  its  progeny.  And  so,  like  thousands 
of  others,  I  fell  into  the  pit  that  someone  else  had  dug 
for  me,  and  the  joy  I  found  in  the  black  stripe  in  the 
saddle  came  near  being  my  undoing.  A  few  years  ago  at 
an  exhibition,  a  gentleman  said:  "Come  and  see  my  prize 
winning  Brown  Leghorn  hen."  I  went  the  length  of  the 
hall  with  him  to  see  a  bird  that,  for  color,  was  a  "frosty- 
edged"  nondescript.  I  wouldn't  have  carried  it  home  for 
it. 

Standard  of   1883  vs.  Standard  of   1910 

Before  me,  as  I  write,  I  have  the  Standard  of  Excel- 
lence of  1883.  Here  is  the  description  for  the  back  of  the 
male  bird:  "Very  dark  red,  approaching  black  on  the 
lower  part,  each  feather  striped  with  golden  bay."  The 
same  Standard  calls  for  a  hackle  thus:  "The  hackles  being 
a  rich  golden  bay,  striped  with  black."  The  present  Stand- 
ard calls  for  saddle  feathers,  rich  brilliant  red  with  lus- 
trous greenish-black  stripe  running  through  the  middle  of 
each  feather,  same  as  in  the  hackle.  I  now  call  your  at- 
tention to  the  difference  between  a  rich  golden-bay  and  a 
rich  brilliant  red  as  shown  by  the  color  charts  in  the 
present  Standard.  The  tendency  has  not  only  been  to 
supplant  the  "Golden  Bay"  in  the  saddle  of  the  male 
birds  of  1883  with  black,  but  the  color  of  red  has  been 
darkened.  The  whole  tendency  has  been  to  greatly  darken 
the  plumage  of  the  male  bird.  The  present  Standard  in 
its  description  of  the  back  of  the  female  calls  for  "a  light 
brown  finely  stippled  with  a  darker  brown,  the  lighter 
shade  predominating.  I  would  like  to  have  the  party,  in 
whose  fertile  brain  this  description  originated,  stand  right 
up  in  his  place  and  tell  us  how  he  intends  to  produce  it 
with  the  present  Standard  requirements  for  the  male  bird. 
Or  doesn't  he  intend  to  use  a  Standard  male  bird  to  get 
it?  .'\nd  if  not,  of  what  earthly  use  is  the  male  bird,  of 
not  only  the  present  Standard,  but  every  other  Standard, 
that  has  called  for  the  black  stripe  in  the  saddle,  except 
for  show  purposes  only  and  for  the  made  bird  only.  ' 

Mating  For  the  Desired  Color  in  Females 

If  you  would  have  that  beautiful  brown  for  which  th» 
females  were  once  noted,  get  a  male  bird  that  is  abso- 
lutely and  wholly  devoid  of  black  in  the  saddle  and  with 
a  hackle  that,  instead  of  a  black  stripe,  if  you  can  find  it, 
has  a  dark  maroon  stripe.  Mate  it  to  your  female  birds, 
and  then  to  its  own  daughters  and  see  if  you  don't  get  fe- 
males that  it  will  be  a  pleasure  to  look  at.  Will  the  breed- 
ers of  Brown  Leghorns  go  back'  to  the  1883  Standard  de- 
scription for  the  color  of  the  back  of  the  male  and  once 
more  give  to  the  females  the  beautiful  brown  color  that 
belongs  to  them  and  of  which  they  were,  doubtless,  un- 
willingly robbed?  I  think  they  will.  If  not  of  the  volition 
of  the  master  minds,  at  least  by  a  popular  clamor  for  a 
restoration  of  the  earlier  color  that  made  the  varieties 
famous. 


Rose  Comb  Brown  Leghorns 

story  of    the  Formation  of    Different  Strains  of    the  Variety— Breeding    for  Exhibition- 
Improvement  in  Color  of  Females — Value  as  Layers — Egg  Records. 


I   HAVE   been   breeding  Rose   Comb   Brown   Leghorns 
since    1884;   so   I    feel   rather   well   acquainted   with, 
and  think  very  highly  of  them  as  a  breed,  for  they 
have  made  many  dollars  for  me. 

History  of  the  Breed  as  I  Know  It 

The  records  1  have  credit  Mr.  T.  C.  McDaniels,  of 
South  Hollis,  Maine,  as  the  first  breeder  of  Rose  Comb 
Leghorns.  He  called  them  the  "York"  fowl  first,  then 
the  "Rose  Comb  Brown."  What  breeds  he  used  I  do  not 
know,  but  I  think  either  he  or  some  one  later  must  have 
used  the  Hamburg,  for  many  showed  the  Hamburg  type 
back  in  the  eighties.  The  eggs  also  resembled  the  Ham- 
burgs'.  1  am  almost  certain  some  Red  Cap  blood  was  used 
in  one  strain.  The  Red  Cap  comb  has  caused  trouble,  but 
the  Hamburg  blood  and  the  Red  Cap  infused  into  th,; 
original  Leghorn  have  seemed  to  intensify  the  laying 
ability  of  the  Rose  Comb  Browns. 

In  1884,  when  I  began  to  breed  them,  Mr.  James 
Forsyth,  of  Owego,  N.  Y.,  was  the  leading  breeder.  He 
bought  out  Mr.  Crofutt.  About  that  time  Mr.  H.  E. 
Benedict  of  Elmira,  was  breeding  birds  that  looked  like 
this  strain.  They  were  very  good  in  shape,  light  in  color 
(the  color  we  call  "pullet  breeding"  now),  but  the  females 
were  not  soft  brown,  rather  a  coarser,  harsher  brown. 
About  1888  Mr.  William  H.  Hughes  of  Long  Island  bred 
a   strain    he    brought    out    that   produced   large    red   males 


and  also  a  strain  that  produced  the  most  beautiful  golden 
brown  females.  Mr.  Drevenstedt  pointed  out  my  "Queen 
Esther"  to  a  prominent  Single  Comb  Brown  breeder  and 
said  she  was  a  worthy  pattern  for  the  Single  Comb 
Browns  in  color.  Just  what  Mr.  Hughes  used  to  produce 
it  I  do  not  know.  I  bought  all  of  this  strain  in  1891  and 
these  birds  were  the  beginning  of  the  beautifully  colored 
females  now  shown. 

As  a  Utility  Breed 
As  bred  today  the  Rose  Comb  Brown  Leghorns  stand 
as  one  of  the  very  best  egg  utility  breeds  in  existence. 
This  assertion  is  made  from  a  mass  of  testimony  received 
from  men  and  women  who  have  tried  all  the  egg  breeds 
and  are  in  a  position  to  judge.  Not  all  strains  will  meet 
this  standard,  but  the  strains  bred  along  the  latest  lines 
will     They  must  have  size,  size  of  eggs,  and  lots  of  eggs. 

Egg  Records 

The  Rose  Comb  Browns  as  I  have  bred  them  have 
made  some  extra  fine  records.  The  first  record  I  made 
was  in  1885.  I  put  six  Rose  Comb  pullets  in  a  building 
one  year  on  January  5th,  when  the  first  one  laid.  The 
building  was  ten  by  eighteen  feet,  with  no  yard.  I  did  not 
let  them  out  for  five  months  and  twenty-five  days,  and 
in  that  time  I  gathered  about  six  hundred  eggs.  I  was 
voung  at   the   business  then   and   did   not   feed   to   make  a 


Brown  Leghorns  Twenty  Years  Ago 


The  type  illustrated  above  was  popular  in  the   ethlv   aO'; 
r  Single  and  Rose  Comb  Brown  Leghorns.     Reproduced  fr 


THE    LEGllUKXS 


record  at  all.  I  just  fed  them  well.  I  know  I  could  do 
much  better  now.  During  this  past  January  I  wanted 
some  eggs  and  in  seven  days  made  them  increase  their 
yield  nearly  live  hundred  per  cent.  Later  three  pullets 
from  one  sitting  laid  726  eggs  in  365  days,  or  one  year — 
an  average  of  242  eggs  a  year.  Since  that,  or  two  years 
ago,  a  pullet  laid  seven  eggs  in  eight  days,  another  four- 
teen eggs  in  sixteen  days,  still  another  twenty-one  eggs  in 
twenty-two  days.  These  records  were  all  made  in  mid- 
winter, during  very  cold  weather.  Many  persons  are 
using  them  for  egg  farms,  as  they  lay  large  eggs.  I  have 
had  five  hens  laying  eggs 
from  twenty-nine  to  thirty- 
four  ounces  to  the  dozen — 
too  large  to  use  for  setting. 

Last  summer  I  -had  a 
pen  of  twenty-one  Rose 
Comb  hens  running  with  a 
few  pullets.  In  the  next 
house  were  thirteen  Barred 
Rock  pullets.  I  found  that 
the  thirteen  Rocks  required 
almost  the  same  amount  of 
food  the  twenty-one  Leg- 
horns did,  and  in  a  ten-days' 
count  the  Leghorns  laid  five 
more  than  twice  as  many 
eggs  as  did  the  Rocks,  and 
my  Rocks  were  good  layers, 
too.  To  sell  eggs  at  the 
price  I  do  I  must  have  good 
layers.  We  see  by  the  above 
test  that  a  Leghorn  egg 
costs  less  than  one-half  as 
much  as  a  Rock  egg.  This 
was  in  June.  In  April  the 
Rocks  would  have  laid  more. 
When  you  come  down  trj 
facts  it  seems  to  be  as  Mr. 
C.  E.  Howell  says:  ".A  Leg- 
horn is  so  profitable  as  a 
layer  that  you  can  af?3rd  to 
give  or  throw  away  the 
body."  But  the  Leghorns  are 

increasing  in  weight,  and  when  the  hens  dress  four  pounds 
each  the  market  value  of  the  carcass  will  be  no  mean 
part  of  the  Leghorn  as  a  utility  fowl. 

One  thing  I  feel  sure  of,  and  that  is,  the  larger  the 
bird,  the  more  it  will  eat  and  the  more  each  egg  will  cost. 
The  period  from  egg  to  maturity  will  also  be  lengthened. 
It  cannot  be  otherwise.  I  favor  and  try  to  breed  so  that 
cockerel-,  when  developed,  will  weigh  five  pounds  and  the 
pullets  three  and  one-half  pounds  each.  I  have  several 
five-pound  Rose  Comb  cockerels  and  four-pound  pullets, 
and  they  are  large,  making  a  fine  appearance.  To  get 
these  weights  you  must  pay  attention  to  width  of  back. 
Part  of  the  weight  must  be  in  width.  I  have  seen  many 
Single  Comb  Brown  Leghorns  that  were  tall  enough  to 
weigh  five  pounds,  but  they  had  only  the  width  of  a  three- 
pound  cockerel.  A  Leghorn  pullet  weighing  three  pounds 
is  a  fair-sized  bird.  If  below  three  pounds  when  they 
are  developed,  I  should  call  them  small.  A  three-pound 
pullet  will  at  two  years  make  a  four-pound  hen. 

I  think  that  in  the  Brown  Leghorn  we  have  combined 
grace,  beauty  and  usefulness  to  a  higher  degree  than  in 
any  other  breed.  I  am  well  aware  that  all  breeds  are 
beautiful  when  bred  close  to  perfection.  I  cannot  look 
at  the  fine  specimens  shown  at   Xew  York  without  want- 


ing to  breed  them  all,  but  in  the  Browns  we  l.ave  so  much 
in  so  little. 

The  Rose  Comb  Browns  may  not  be  quite  so  showy 
as  the  Single  Comb  Browns  because  of  their  low  combs, 
but  the  advantage  of  the  low,  fleshy  comb  has  made  them 
popular  in  the  northern  states,  although  they  are  also 
bred  in  the  south  perhaps  to  as  great  an  extent  propor- 
tionately as  in  the  north,  considering  all  breeds  north  and 
south.  My  sales  of  eggs  from  Rose  Combs  have  been 
greater  than  from  Single  Comb  Browns  up  to  the  last  two 
years.  Now  they  are  about  the  same.  The  entries  of 
Rose  Comb  Browns  are 
steadily  increasing  at  the 
shows.  The  New  York  Show 
contains  large  classes  each 
year.  For  some  years  fe- 
males have  been  shown  equal 
to  Single  Comb  Browns  in 
color,  and  males  also,  for 
Cyrus  1st  was  cut  only  one- 
half  point  on  color  at  Cleve- 
land, Ohio,  and  Cyrus  2nd 
scored  93i/  after  being  cut 
one  and  one-half  for  a  little 
gray  in  one  wing,  caused  by 
clipping  the  wing,  then  pull- 
ing it  to  get  it  into  the  show. 
One  thing  that  has  dis- 
couraged breeders  has  been 
the  rose  comb.  The  stock 
('uring  the  first  ten  years 
after  being  admitted  to  the 
Standard  (which  was  in  1883, 
I  believe)  bred  combs  too 
large  and  too  far  away  from 
the  head.  They  would  soon 
topple  over,  but  that  fault  is 
pretty  well  remedied,  al- 
though some  combs  still 
grow  to  be  too  large.  I  have 
been  measuring  a  few  combs 
that  I  think  nearly  right.  I 
find  a  cock's  comb  that  fits, 
closely  to  the  head  and 
seems  about  the  right  size  for  looks  is  one  and  seven- 
eights  inches  wide  in  front,  two  and  one-half  inches  long. 
The  comb  should  taper  to  where  the  spike  starts.  The 
spike  should  be  a  long  one,  and  extend  straight  out  on  a 
level  with  the  top  of  the  comb.  A  rose  comb  should  be 
covered  with  small  points  on  the  top.  A  smooth  comb  is 
a  defect.  The  cock  having  the  comb  here  described  weighs 
about  five  pounds  and  was  behind  a  "blue"  at  New  York. 
To  reproduce  it  I  want  his  mate  to  have  a  comb  flat  on  top, 
seven-eighths  of  an  inch  wide  and  one  and  one  half  inches 
to  spike,  with  a  straight  spike  three-fourths  of  an  inch  long. 
I  should  like  to  have  shown  a  cut  of  this  cock,  but 
after  trying  l\ve  exposures,  some  at  home  and  two  in  a 
photograph  gallery,  I  gave  it  up.  I  find  it  very  hard  to 
get  a  good,  true  likeness  of  any  Leghorn,  and  this  cock 
is  the  most  nervous  chap  I  ever  tried  to  photograph.  In 
the  pen  he  is  quiet,  but  will  not  stand  for  his  picture.  In 
mating  for  good  combs,  or  in  fact  any  section,  I  would 
rather  have  a  female  first-class  than  the  male,  if  I  could 
have  only  one  first-class,  for  I  find  the  chicks  follow  the 
mother  in  almost  seventy-five  per  cent,  of  the  progeny.  I 
think  here  is  where  good  resvilts  are  often  lost.  A  first- 
class  male  is  selected,  but  not  enough  attention  is  paid  to 
his  mate  or  mates.  - 


ROSE  COMB  BROWN  LEGHORN  COCK 
The  above  picture  reproduced  from  a  photograph  of 
one  of  W.  W.  Kulp's  noted  Rose  Comb  Brown  Leghorn 
males,  fails  to  show  the  rich  color  and  striping  of  the 
hackle  and  saddle  feathers;  the  shape  also  is  not  suc- 
cessfully portrayed  owing  to  improper  posing  of  the 
specimen.  The  fine  head  points,  hovvever,  are  well  re- 
produced by  the  camera. 


4« 


THE   LEGHORNS 


To  a  beginner,  if  a  bird  had  a  good  comb  he  will 
hardly  look  farther,  but  after  some  years  he  will  learn 
there  are  other  important  pcl.its.  Color  is  usually  con- 
sidered the  most  important  part  of  a  Brown  Leghorn,  and 
I  think  about  the  hottest  place  a  judge  gets  into  at  a 
show  is  where  a  bird  has  extra  fine  color  but  is  not  so 
good  in  shape,  while  another  has  extra  fine  shape  and  fair 
color.     Each  thinks  he  has  the  best. 

The  shape  of  the  body  back  of  the  legs  is  an  im- 
portant point  to  the  eye.  The  fluff  should  extend  beyond 
the  legs,  giving  us  a  balanced  and  symmetrical  body.  I 
would  like  to  show  it  in  its  beauty  in  living  models;  also 
the  style  where  the  body  seems  to  come  to  an  end  right 
back  of  the  legs.  If  you  have  no  male  with  this  shape — 
the  long  fluff — but  have  the  upstanding  kind,  mate  him  to 
hens  having  a  full  saddle  rising  to  the  tail.     I  at  one  time 


Rose   Comb. 


BROWN     LEGHORN     EGGS 


The  two  dozen  eggs  illustrated  above  were  laid  by  Rose  Comb  and  Single  Comb 
Brown  Leghorn  hens  bred  and  owned  by  W.  W.  Kulp.  Pottstown,  Pa.  Each  dozen 
weighs  32  ounces,  which  is  eight  ounces  per  dozen  above  the  average  weight  of  market 
eggs, 

mated  a  high  tailed  cockerel  to  such  a  hen  and  every  male 
had  the  shape  of  the  hen  and  but  one  pullet  had  the  cock- 
erel's shape.  One  had  the  hen's,  and  the  others  were  in 
between  the  two.  In  color  this  sire  striped  dark.  The 
ilam  was  medium  dark  only.  The  edge  of  the  cockerel's 
hackle  and  saddle  was  light  red.  All  the  cockerels  were 
only  medium  to  very  light,  with  not  much  striping,  while 
all  th€  pullets  had  a  dark  ground  color,  penciled  rather 
light — as  light  as  the  mother — but  had  two  pencilings 
where  she  had  one.  This  mating  produced  show  pullets 
while  I  wanted  show  cockerels.  She  had  the  shape  and 
■■.omb  and  was  medium  dark. 

Of  late  years  the  great  point  to  be  gained  seems  to 
DC  Dlack  stripes  in  hackle  and  saddle.  The  black  edged 
with  a  bright,  rich  red  is  beautiful,  no  doubt,  and  should 
first  be  bred  in  the  neck  to  perfection.  What  I  mean  is, 
do  not  sacrifice  hackle  for  saddle,  for  you  can  see  the 
hackle,  both  the  black  and  golden  red,  one  hundred  feet 
away,  while  the  black  of  the  back  can  only  be  seen  right 
by  handling.  The  neck  being  arched  prevents  the  feath- 
ers from  lapping  enough  to  cover  the  black,  while  the 
Standard  back  makes  a  concave  sweep  and  this  laps  the 
feathers  until  only  the  red  shows,  making  practically  a 
solid  red  saddle  except  when  handled  or  viewed  very 
close. 

The  proper  mate  to   use  to    a  dark,   metallic     striped 


hackle  and  saddle  is  a  female  having  solid  or  almost  black 
stripe  in  neck.  Edge  color  should  go  to  the  end  of  the 
feather  or  you  will  have  a  smutty  hackle  on  your  cock- 
erels. I  should  prefer  a  plain  saddle  with  a  beautifully 
edged  hackle,  the  red  color  extending  to  and  around  the 
end  of  each  feather  on  the  cape  to  a  perfect  saddle,  with 
the  hackle  only  red  on  the  upper  part,  the  cape  or  lower 
part  being  black,  both  the  edge  and  center.  I  would  ad- 
vise this:  Never  give  up  a  good  hackle  and  fair  saddle  for 
a  fair  hackle  and  good  saddle.  I  have  seen  it  done  often 
in  the  Single  Comb  Browns,  but  I  was  also  glad  to  see 
our  best  judges  favor  the  best  hackle  in  preference  to  the 
best  saddle. 

The  pullets  from  a  dark  cockerel,  and  his  mate  to  re- 
produce him,  are  always  bad  in  breast  color.  It  is  im- 
possible to  hold  a  salmon  breast  and  produce  the  black 
stripe  in  saddles.  In  Sint,1e 
Comb  Browns,  lots  of  pullets 
will  get  breasts  like  their  backs, 
and  I  know  it  will  produce  the 
same  in  Rose  Comb  Browns. 
But  if  the  Standard  and  the 
buyers  demand  a  striped  saddle 
we  will  have  to  put  up  with 
dark    females. 

White  is  a  great  source  of 
tiouble  between  the  buyer  and 
the  seller  of  eggs  for  hatching. 
Very  few  stop  to  consider  that 
white  is  simply  the  absence  of 
color.  It  can  be  and  is  hered- 
itary, but  it  can  and  is  just  as 
often  produced  by  other  causes 
and  blamed  by  the  buyer  to  the 
seller's  stock.  The  color  of  the 
feathers  is  deposited  by  the 
blood.  If  the  chick  is  kept  on 
limited  range,  or  ill  fed,  it  will 
fail  to  make  the  color  nearly  as 
good  as  if  fed  properly.  If  a 
feather  is  bruised  or  fails  to 
break  the  skin  at  the  proper 
time,  it  will  come  with  a  white  tip.  This  can  be  easily 
proved  by  injuring  a  stub  just  coming  through,  especiaHy 
the  stub  of  a  flight  feather. 

I  have  been  doing  a  little  measuring  to  give  definite 
information  in  regard  to  length  of  legs.  A  Leghorn  should 
have  a  length  of  leg  to  correspond  to  the  length  of  its 
neck  and  tail.  If  short  in  legs  it  is  out  of  proportion.  I 
find  five-pound  cockerels  should  have  five  and  one-half  to 
six  inches  of  daylight  from  the  bottom  of  the  feathers  to 
the  ground  right  between  the  legs.  One  that  is  six  and 
one-half  inches  is  fully  as  high  as  it  should  be.  You  will 
find  by  taking  the  bird  in  your  hand  and  placing  a  foot 
rule  against  the  breast-bone  down  along  the  leg,  stretch- 
ing it  to  its  full  length,  that  a  bird  measuring  ten  and 
one-half  inches  is  tall  on  his  legs.  I  have  them  that  go 
to  eleven  and  one-half  and  I  consider  that  plenty  tall 
enough. 

The  Standard  colored  Brown  Leghorn  female  in  per- 
fection is  a  model  in  both  shape  and  color.  In  color  she 
should  be  brown  all  over,  except  the  neck.  It  should  be 
a  golden  color,  with  a  black  stripe  down  the  center  of 
each  feather.  I  do  not  remember  that  I  ever  saw  one  of 
that  kind  with  a  brown  back.  If  the  hackle  is  black  cen- 
tered, the  ground  color  of  the  feathers  is  black  also,  and 
you  have  black,  metallic  black,  and  brown  for  your 
color;  while  if  the  hackle  has  some  penciling  in  the  cen- 


THE   LEGHORNS 


47 


ters  you  can  have  the  bac^  a  dull  black,  called  brown,  and 
you  want  it  penciled  with  'those  small,  golden-brown  dots, 
so  small  and  the  dots  so  close  together  that  if  you  step 
back  six  to  ten  feet,  her  back  and  wings  will  look  like  a 
soft,  velvety  brown.  You  cannot  see  a  particle  of  black, 
and  here  you  have  the  true  Brown  Leghorn  and  the 
shade,  that  is  the  most  beautiful  and  the  shade  that  wins. 
Such  a  color  of  back  and  wings  has  been  produced  in  the 
liose  Comb  Browns,  practically  free  from  shafting— that 
is.,  free  from  a  shaft  that  is  colored  a  lighter  shade  than 
the  ground  of  the  feather. 

The  male  that  should  be  mated  to  such  a  female  will 
be  of  the  same  shape  as  the  male  described,  with  the 
comb  the  same.  The  lobes  of  all  breeders  should  be 
clear  white,  smooth  and  oval  in  shape  and  fit  flat  to  the 
he^d.  The  face  should  be  free  from  white.  The  color  of 
the  neck  of  the  male  should  be  golden  with  black  center 
on  the  cape  and  as  far  in  and  up  the  neck  as  you  can  get 
it.  Wings  should  be  in  color  a  dull  brown,  the  duller  they 
are  the  less  brick  there  will  be  in  his  female  get.  The 
saddle  on  top  should  be  as  free  from  black  centers  as  pos- 


sible. The  centers  should  be  brown.  The  edge  should 
shade  lighter  down  the  sides,  have  a  golden  cast  dark 
undercolor  for  all  breeders.  Legs  should  be  yellow  and 
of  proper  length.     Tail  carried  low  and  full. 

With  such  a  mating  you  are  sure  to  reproduce  the 
best  females.  For  one  mating  take  such  a  male,  or  one  a 
little  darker,  and  mate  him  with  light  show  females,  part 
of  the  pen  to  be  dark  females,  and  you  will  get  dark  males 
from   your  dark   females. 

Today  I  know  there  are  hundreds  breeding  Rose 
Comb  Browns  who  keep  them  just  for  eggs  and  beauty. 
They  select  them  because  of  the  non-freezing  comb.  I 
would  say:  "Come  to  the  show  with  your  stock."  It  will 
pay  in  pleasure  and  money.  Breed  the  best  you  can  and 
keep  at  it. 

I  will  add 
hundreds  give 
keep  them  in  a  c 


word  about  yaiding.  I  know  that 
p  Leghorns  because  they  cannot 
imon  yard.  I  have  only  two  pens  with 
eight-foot  fences;  the  rest  are  of  four-foot  wire.  But  I 
clip  short  every  bird  in  them,  leaving  a  feather  on  one 
side  to  preserve  the  shape.   It  does  not  spoil  their  looks. 


What  Breeders  Say 


Progress  Made  in 


Color  and  Shape  in  the  Past  Two  Decades — Virtue  and  Faults  of  the  V^ariety  Today — How 
The  Revised  Standard  Will  Benefit  Brown  Leghorns  in  the  Future. 


THAT  a  well-lired  modern  Brown  Leghorn,  single  or 
rose  comb,  is  the  most  beautiful  variety  in  color 
and  markings  of  the  Leghorn  family,  is  generally 
a'dmitted  by  close  students  of  color.  The  lustrous  green- 
ish black  of  the  hackle  and  saddle  stripings,  sickles,  and 
tail  coverts;  and  the  brilliancy  of  the  red  color  of  the 
neck,  back  and  wingbows  of  a  Standard  exhibition  male, 
are  strikingly  beautiful,  rarely  equaled  and  never  sur- 
passed by  any  other  breed  or  variety  having  similar  color 
markings.  The  soft  brown,  finely  stippled  feathers  of 
the  back,  tail  coverts  and  wings  of  the  female  exhibit  a 
color  scheme  of  rare  beauty,  characteristic  of  the  Brown 
Leghorn  only. 

It  has  taken  years  of  patient  labor  and  close  study  m 
selecting  proper  matings,  to  produce  and  perfect  the  color 
markings  of  Brown  Leghorns,  many  breeders  giving  up 
the  task,  believing  it  either  too  slow  and  unprofitable  or 
contrary  to  the  best  interests  of  the  variety.  They  looked 
upon  the  Brown  Leghorns  as  a  market  fowl  principally 
so  considered  the  egg  producing  quality  as  of  paramount 
importance;  also  contending  that  striped  hackles  and 
saddles  were  foreign  to  the  breed  and  tending  to  make 
double  matings  compulsory  in  order  to  produce  exhi 
bition  males  and  females,  consequently  reducing  the  num- 
l)er  of  saleable  specimens.  '  Their  creed  was  single 
matings  with  plenty  of  chickens  to  sell,  but  the  real 
fancier  and  breeder  of  Brown  Leghorns  had  higher  ideals 
He  wanted  the  bird  beautiful,  so  proceeded  to  produce  it 
regardless  of  the  clamor  and  criticisms  of  poultry  writers 
and  breeders  infested  with  the  utility  bug.  The  work  of 
such  noted  breeders  of  Brown  Leghorns  as  James 
Forsyth,  C.  E.  Howell,  W.  Theo.  Wittman,  the  late  Dr 
H.  W.  Dorsey,  James  Qurollo,  W.  W.  Kulp,  Geo.  C 
Morris,  Geo.  H.  Burgott,  W.  F.  Brace,  F.  W.  Weeks,  H 
E.  Benedict,  J.  F.  Carter,  Tenny  &  Harrington,  William 
EUery  Bright,  L.  Brown,  D.  M.  Owen,  W.  Henderson  and 
Arthur  C.  Smith  of  the  past  and  present,  and  the  more 
recent  achievements  of  Miss  Pitchlyn,  W.  R.  Bowers, 
Mrs.  Forbes,  J.  H.  Henderson,   Charles  O.  Miers,  W.  H. 


Wiebke,  T.  H.  Woods,  W.  H.  Hearstield  and  other  good 
fanciers  have  produced  magnificent  results.  Most  of  these 
breeders  stuck  loyally  to  their  favorites,  and  to  such  good 
fanciers,  the  "dainty  Browns"  owe  their  present  high 
Standard  of  excellence  in  both  color  markings  and  type. 

In  order  to  get  the  views  of  prominent  and  success- 
ful breeders  of  Brown  Leghorns,  on  the  progress  made 
in  the  past  two  decades,  and  of  the  virtues  and  faults  of 


ENGLISH    TYPE    OP   BROWN    LEGHORN    HEN 


-1-8 

this  varietj'  today,  we  sent 
fanciers  in  the  East  and  Wi 
this  symposium  from: 
Geo.  H.  Burgott,  New  York 
\V.  W.  Kulp.  Pennsylvania. 
W'm.  F.   Brace,  Xew  York. 
Charles  O.  Miers,  Penna. 
\V.  VV.  Carmen,  New  York. 


THE   LEGHORNS 


1  list  of  questions  to  leading 
■St.     We  received  answers  to 

D.  M.  Owen,  Tennessee. 
H.  C.  Short,  Kansas. 
T.  H.  Woods,  Missouri. 
I.oring  Brown,  Georgia. 
l-"lorence  Forbes,  Alabama. 


.■\.  C.  Smith,  Massachusetts.    J.  H.  Henderson,  Tennessee. 


W.  n.  Wiebke,  Indiana. 


L.  P.  Harris,  Nebraska. 


W.  H.  Warnock,  Illinois. 

The  questions  and  answers  follow: 

1.  How  does  the  Brown  Leghorn  of  today  compare 
in  color  and  shape  with  the  Brown  Leghorn  of  ten  or 
more  years  ago? 

The  Brown  Leghorn  of  today  is  decidedly  a  more 
beautiful  bird  than  was  produced  under  the  Standard 
prior  to  its  revision  at  Boston,  and  an  improvement  on 
the  specimen  of  ten  years  ago. — George  H.  Burgott. 

It  is  a  little  over  ten  years  since  the  very  fine,  clear, 
golden  Browns  have  been  bred  and  shown,  and  in  that 
time  I  think  but  little  change  has  been  made,  for  some  very 
fine  females  have  been  bred. — W.  W.  Kulp. 

The  shape  of  both  male  and  female  perhaps  is  some- 
what better.  The  color  of  male  is  not  as  good,  but  that 
of  female  is  greatly  improved. — William  F.  Brace. 

I  believe  the  males  have  improved  both  in  shape  and 
in  color.  The  females  have  improved  in  color  of  hackle, 
and  there  are  more  good  females,  more  people  are  breed- 
ing good  females. — yet.  the  back  and  body  color  has  not 
improved. — Charles  C.  Miers. 

Some  breeders  are  getting  better  color,  especially  in 
females.     The    males    in   R.     C.     Browns  are   very   much 


BROWN    LEGHORN 


KKREL. 


better.  Shape  as  a  whole  is  better,  but  with  a  tendency  to 
too  long  bodies  and  not  curve  enough  in  back,  and  tail 
lower  than  should  be. — W.  W.  Carmen. 

Improved  in  shape,  size,  color  and  markings.  Males 
and  females  more  even  in  color.  Females,  less  shafting 
and  brick  in  best  specimens.— .A.  C.  Smith. 


ROWN    LEGHORN    PULLET 


The  males  are  darker  in  color  and  the  female^  lighter. 
Size  has  also  increased  some. — W.   H.  Wiebke. 

The  color  of  males  is  better  than  ten  years  ago.  Color 
of  females  is  not  so  good  as  some  few  of  the  best  speci- 
mens of  ten  years  ago. — D.  M.  Owen. 

The  females  are  much  lighter  on  backs  and  wings,  the 
males  darker  in  hackle  and  saddle,  making  it  impossible 
to  produce  winning  males  and  females  from  the  same 
mating,  thereby  having  unsatisfied  customers,  especially 
if  beginners  in  the  poultry  business,  and  a  very  uneven 
flock  in  color,  both  males  and  females  being  dark  and 
light.— H.  C.  Short. 

Males  have  better  combs,  more  perfect  in  stripe, 
especially  in  back,  lower  tail  shape.  Females  are  not  so 
dark,  are  finer  stippled,  with  but  very  little  shaft  and 
brick;  in  fact  they  are  very  much  improved.— T.  H. 
Woods. 

.\o,  by  no  means.  It  seems  impossible  to  get  any 
l;'io<1,  true  Leghorns  any  more,  so  I  have  given  them  up- 
ihis  year  for  the  Whites,  after  breeding  Browns  oontinu- 
cilly  i"or  thirty-eight  years. — Loring  Brown. 

Most  of  the  judges  prefer  a  lighter  shade  of  brown. — 
Florence  Forbes. 

The  prize  winning  male  of  today  is  very  much  darker, 
and  most  of  our  leading  judges  seem  to  favor  the  male 
with  the  extreme  black  striping  in  hackle  and  saddle, 
thereby  encouraging  the  breeder  to  produce  a  male  of 
much  darker  shade  of  color  throughout. — J.  H.  Hender- 
son. 

The  cocks  are  much  darker  red  in  neck  and  saddle; 
the  females  much  lighter  in  back  and  wings  and  more 
evenly  penciled. — L.  P.  Harris. 

.\  better  colored  female,  but  little  improvement  in 
male  aside  from  better  stripe  in  saddle.  The  males  of 
today  have  much  more  purple  in  plumage,  the  craze  for 
heavy  striping  in  hackle  and  saddle  being  the  cause. — W. 
G.  Warnock. 

2.  Has  not  the  present  Standard's  description  of  the 
color  of  males  lessened  the  brightness  of  surface  color 
and  caused  the  females  bred  from  such  males  to  lose  in 
brownish  surface  color,  thereby  making  extreme  double 
matings  more  necessary  than  in  the  past? 

It  will  be  impossible  to  breed  a  beautiful  bird  even 
under  the  last  revision — from  a  single  mating.  I  am 
unable    to    see  a  cause    for  dropping    the    single   mating 


niE   LEGHORNS 


4'.) 


system,  when  I  see  the  best  breeders  of  Hamburgs  and 
Polish  on  this  continent,  using  this  system.— George  H. 
Burgott. 

I  have  always  favored  the  golden  browns,  as  they  are 
the  most  beautiful;  and  I  have  always  noticed  that  per- 
sons who  are  not  interested  will  select  those  as  the  finest 
color,  regardless  of  the  Standard.  We  who  breed  them 
know  they  are  much  harder  to  breed  than  the  darker  col- 
ored ones.  It  is  not  nearly  so  hard  to  breed  a  dark,  clear- 
winged  pullet,  as  it  is  to  breed  a  golden-colored,  clear- 
winged  pullet;  and  when  they  are  as  finely  stippled  as 
they  well  could  be,  the  height  of  beauty  is  reached  so  far 
as  color  goes  in  the  female. — W.  W.  Kulp. 

The  present  Standard  has  lessened  the  brilliancy  of 
tlie  males,  causing  smuttiness  in  saddle  and  hackles,  and 
mtrple   in   shade,   instead  of 


the  general  color  very  much  more  of  the  smut  and  purple, 
causing  the  females  bred  from  such  males  to  lose  in 
brownish  surface  color — thereby  making  double  matings 
imperative. — J.  H.  Henderson. 

The  present  Standard  makes  it  impossible  to  breed 
both  good  exhibition  males  and  females  from  same  mat- 
ing. Still  I  admire  the  colors  of  each  more  as  they  are 
now  than  as  they  were  ten  or  more  years  ago. — L.  P. 
Harris. 

Yes,  females  bred  from  present  day  males  have  little 
resemblance  to  Brown  Leghorns,  many  of  them  being  so 
dark  as  to  be  unfit  for  breeding  and  are  salable  only  for 
layers.— W.  G.  Warnock. 


3.     Would    not    a 


the  beetle  green  we  used  t  > 
find.  The  females  are  very 
much  too  dark — -in  fact, 
they  are  hiore  like  the 
Partridge  Cochin  in  mark- 
ings. I  think  it  would  be 
impossible  to  make  single 
matings  and  get  .the  beau- 
tiful color  we  have  on  fe- 
males, but  by  lightening 
the  shade  of  males  we 
would  get  more  brilliar: 
color  and  less  of  the  purple, 
which  is  now  so  objection- 
able.—William    F.    Brace. 

Those  extremely  dark 
matings  are  not  at  all 
necessary  and  are  of  no 
account,  always  breeding 
too  much  smut  and  a  lack 
of  led  on  wings.  We  no- 
tice some  judges  are  over- 
looking this  bad  defect. — 
Charles  O.  Miers. 

Ten  or  fifteen  years 
ago  I  had  lots  of  males 
that  were  very  glossy,  giv- 
ing a  beautiful  effect;  now 
not  over  one  in  twenty 
shows  this  gloss,  if  they  are 
of  a  deep  rich  red.  The 
cockerel  breeding  fenialo 
of  today  are  anything  but 
brown.  The  deep  red  binl 
is  very  handsome  in  the 
hagd,  or  a  few  feet  away, 
but  the  brighter  colored 
bird  takes  the  eye  in  the 
yard. — W.  W.   Carmen. 

The  female  that  is  de- 
sired now,  and  that  ha- 
been  desired  for  twenty 
and  more  years  back,  pro- 
duces a  male  so  colorless 
and  characterless  that  it  is 
a  waste  of  time  and  mental  pi 
mating  proposition. — A.  C.   Sn 

Yes.— W.  H.  Wiebke. 

Males   of  present   Standard   description   th 
entirely  too  dark  in  color. — D.  M.  Owen. 

It  has  caused  the  color  in  females  to  win  in  males 
a  Dark  Brahma  female  color.  And  can  any  breeder  of  the 
Brown  Leghorn  realize  the  contrast  in  color  to  a  winning 
female?  Is  it  any  wonder  for  a  beginner  ordering  a  trio  for 
producing  exhibition  males,  to  be  amazed  at  the  contrast 
in  the  color  of  females  to  exhibition  females? 

To  produce  birds  for  the  present  Standard  it  re- 
quires two  matings  to  produce  birds  of  the  highest  type. 
The  female-cockerel  matings  result  in  birds  too  dark  for 
show  purposes,  and  the  cockerel-pullet  matings  result  in 
birds  too  light;  double  matings  are  absolutely  necessary. 
— T.  H.  Woods. 

It  certainly  has. — Loring  Brown. 

The  present  Standard  makes  it  impossible  to  breed 
Single  Brown  Leghorns  unless  you  have  a  double  mating. 
— Florence  Forbes. 

Yes.  In  our  great  desire  to  produce  a  male  with  the 
extreme  dark  striping  in  hackle  and  saddle  we  have  lost 
much   of  the  rich   brilliant  red   and   have  introduced   into 


FIRST  PftllECK'BLftT 

BRED  AKO  OWNED  Q'i 


BROWN    LEliHORN 


ith. 


to  think  of  the  singl 


pullets 


ghter  or  more  brilliant  red  in 
hackle  and  saddle  and  a 
slate  instead  of  a  black  or 
dark  slate  undercolor 
prove  conducive  to  larger 
percentages  of  good  fe- 
males and  make  single 
matings  possible? 

I  believe  brilliant  red 
is  right,  and  also  that  too 
much  weight  has  been  put 
upon  dark  undercolor,  caus- 
ing so  much  omission  of 
stripe  at  ends  of  hackle. 
Single  matings  would  be 
impossible,  for  we  should 
then  lose  the  beauty  of  the 
female. — George  H.  Bur- 
gott. 

I  have  no  objection  to 
having  the  color  vary  from 
iiLiht  to  darker,  as  that  has 
1 1  ways  been  done  and  will 
ilways  be  done,  as  the 
i.irker  ones  may  be  the 
ii>t,  all  things  considered. 
I'iUt  I  think  it  is  making 
ilie  road  a  bit  easier  so  far 
as  exhibition  Brown  fe- 
males are  concerned. — W. 
W.  Kulp. 

A  lighter  shade  in 
males  would  be  an  im- 
provement, and  it  could  be 
done  by  breeding  a  Stand- 
ard colored  male,  with 
coarse  markings.  The  un- 
dercolor is  not  of  so  much 
importance  as  the  surface 
color,  and  would  have  a 
tendency  to  brighten  the 
shade  and  still  retain  the 
beautiful  striping,  and  the 
greenish  shade  of  black 
would  result,  instead  of 
purple.  It  would  make  them  as  we  used  to  find  them. 
The  darker  shade  and  Partridge  Cochin  breasts  were  used 
to  obtain  an  even  shade  in  hackle,  which  was  difficult  to 
get;  even  by  this  niethoa  I  think  it  impossible  to  get  the 
female  color  as  it  is  today.  Let  the  Standard  call  for  a 
lighter  shade  in   males. — William  F.   Brace. 

We  do  not  believe  that  either  good  females  or  good 
males  can  be  produced  from  a  single  mating,  unless  we 
accept  the  present  pullet-bred  cockerel  as  good,  and 
change  the  present  Standard  accordingly. — -Charles  O. 
Miers. 

If  seal  brown  were  Standard  for  females  and  a  fe- 
male were  mated  with  such  a  male,  a  single  mating  might 
be  possible. — W.  W.  Carmen. 

Single  matings  are  not  a  possibility  until  a  straw- 
colored  male  will  be  condoned. — A.  C.  Smith. 

I  doubt  if  good  males  and  females  can  be  produced 
from  single  matings.  I  never  could.  The  strong  striping 
in  saddle  of  male  would  always  give  poor  striping  in  fe- 
males.—W.  H.  Wiebke. 

The  male  to  throw  fine-colored  females  should  have 
medium  red  hackle  shading  to  lemon  at  base;  saddle, 
orange  red;  undercolor,  slate. — D.   M.  Owen. 

A  lighter  shade  of  cherry  red  without  the  black  stripe 


CHICAGO  SHOVI  1909 

PEORIA  ILI. 


:erel 


I.I'GIIORXS 


in  center  of  feathers  in  hackle  and  saddle  of  males,  and  a 
little  darker  or  brownish  surface  color  of  females  on  back 
and  wings,  would  no  doubt  prove  conducive  to  a  larger 
percentage  of  good  females  and  make  single  matings 
possible  for  both  exhibition  males  and  females,  in  my 
judgment,  as  it  should  be  from  nature  either  to  have 
males  and  females  lighter  or  darker  in  color,  as  I.  K, 
Felch  once  said, — H.  C.  Short. 

It  might  prove  to  be  a  very  good  mating,  but  I  think 
the  double  matings  could  produce  birds  of  finer  color;  of 
course,  in  double  matings  you  do  not  want  to  go  to  ex- 
tremes.— T.  H.  Woods. 

It  would,  just  as  it  did  twenty  or  twenty-five  years 
ago  when  plenty  of  95  point  birds  under  Pierce,  George 
O,  Brown  and  I.  K.  Felch  were  produced  from  single 
matings  and  ninety  per  cent,  all  good.  They  were  a  joy 
and  a  beauty  to  anyone,  and  were  then  the  most  popular 
and  prirttable  breed  we  had  in  the  South. — Loring  Brown. 

Ve~. — Florence  Forbes. 

I  do  not  think,  under  the  present  Standard  require- 
ments, tliat  we  shall  ever  be  able  to  produce  a  satisfactory 
exhibition  specimen  male  or  female  from  the  single  mat- 
ing system. — J.  H.  Henderson. 

Xo,  it  would  not  only  require  a  lighter  hackle  and 
lighter  undercolor  for  males,  but  a  darker  shade  of  brown 
in  females'  backs  and  wings,  and  darker  neck  lacings. — 
L.  P.  Harris. 

Yes.  if  persisted  in  for  a  number  of  years,  it  would 
take  a  long  time  to  eradicate  the  double  mating  tendency, 
but  would  result  in  greater  uniformity  in  the  flock — 
something  that  the  Standard  makers  do  not  seem  to  want. 
— W.  G.  Warnock. 

4.  In  the  revised  Standard  the  color  of  the  back  and 
wing-bows  of  females  is  described  as  follows:  "Light 
brown,  finely  stippled  with  a  darker  brown,  the  lighter 
shade  predominating.  More  importance  is  attached  to 
fineness  of  stippling  and  evenness  of  color  and  freedom 
from  shafting,  than  to  the  particular  shade  of  color,  but 
it  is  important  that  the  eflfect  produced  be  that  of  a  soft 
even  brown  that  is  not  suggestive  of  gray,  as  one  extreme 
is  to  be  avoided  as  much  as  the  other,"  Will  not  this  have 
a  tendency  to  produce  more  uniformity  in  the  color  of 
exhibition  females  and  also  result  in  more  uniform  awards 
by  judges? 

The  back  and  wing  should  be  decidedly  brown,  with 
no  tendency  to  gray.  The  end  of  the  feather  being 
slightly  laced  is  the  cause  of  a  gray  appearance.  Under 
the  new  revision  the  judging  should  be,  and  will  be,  more 
uniform. — George  H.  Burgott. 


wH^^j.T^-^  ' 



i 

r 

■K£         I  '^i^ 

■pr<^ 

gj^; 

^^i£^___^i^iS^!i^_ 

I 

f'fll 

i-(ls  of  w.  \V.  Kulp, 


BROWN  LEGHORN  COCKEREL. 


In  Brown  males  I  think  the  top  was  reached  about 
ten  years  ago.  Those  who  see  the  best  show  birds  year 
after  year  will  say  that  the  quality  will  not  run  even  year 
after  year.  Some  years  the  matings  will  seem  to  fail  and 
the  very  good  ones  are  not  there. — W.  W.  Kulp. 

The  present  or  new  Standard  covers  the  ground  as 
far  as  color  is  concerned,  and  it  would  be  difficult  to  im- 
prove on  the  wording;  and  it  will  surely  result  in  more 
uniform  judging. — William  F.  Brace. 

We  believe  the  light  brown  females  to  be  more  at- 
tractive— though  harder  to  produce — to  have  a  nicer 
finish,  and  that  the  finer  stippling  is  softer. — Charles  O. 
Miers. 

Unless  the  Standard  states  the  exact  shades  I  cannot 
see  how  a  change  can  bring  uniformity  in  judging  or  in 
color  of  females,  except  in  color  of  neck  hackle.  The 
change  from  rich  orange  to  golden  is  a  good  one. — W. 
W.  Carmen. 

We  hope  so,  or  at  least  hope  that  the  gray-colored  fe- 
males will  not  be  considered.  We  think  the  section  a 
good  one,  for  it  gives  the  breeders  a  chance  to  breed  their 
preference  in  shades,  within  certain  limits. — A.   C.  Smith. 

I  think  it  will;  it  certainly  ought  to. — W.  H.  Wiebke. 

This  is  the  best  description  of  female  we  have  yet 
had  and  I  feel  sure  it  will  prove  of  much  benefit  to  both 
breeder  and  judge,  and  result  in  more  uniformity  in 
breeding  and  judging. — D.  M.  Owen. 

I  think  this  would  have  the  tendency  to  produce  more 
uniformity  in  the  color  of  exhibition  females;  as  it  is  now, 
some  judges  prefer  a  soft,  even  brown  that  is  suggestive 
of  gray,  while  others  prefer  one  that  is  suggestive  of  a 
darker  brown  or  red.  The  darker  brown,  I  find  in  breed- 
ing, is  more  free  from  shafting  and  generally  a.  better 
color  in  hackle  and  breast.  The  soft  even  brown  is  sug- 
gestive of  gray  and  red  or  brick  color  in  wings.  Cannot 
answer  second  point  of  question.  That's  to  be  tried. — H. 
C.  Short. 

I  think  this  will  make  it  much  better  for  judges,  as 
the  color  is  to  be  brown,  not  gray  or  red,  and  it  seems 
that  any  one  could  select  the  best  birds,  also  the  breeders, 
as  fineness  of  stippling  and  freedom  from  shaft  and  brick 
will  be  the  objects. — T.  H.  Woods. 


THE   LEGHORNS 


Give  us  the  old  time  color  and  let  there  be  some 
shafting  and  red  in  wing-bows,  and  get  back  to  the  good 
old  time  color  and  away  from  the  B.  B.  Reds.  Then  we 
will  have  a  much  smaller  percentage  of  culls  and  three 
times  as  many  eggs  and  fewer  persistent  setters. — Loring 
Brown. 

Too  much  importance  is  placed  on  back  of  female.  I 
prefer  darker  shade  in  back,  with  a  good  hackle.  With 
the  light  females  you  do  not  get  a  perfect  hackle  or  a 
rich-colored  breast. — Florence  Forbes. 

I  do  not  anticipate  any  great  reform  or  change  to- 
ward more  uniformity  in  color  and  judging  of  exhibition 
females  until  we  can  get  our  judges  educated  in  the  same 
schools  on  what  constitutes  Standard  color.  I  am  of  the 
opinion  that  we  must  have  and  furnish  our  judges,  for 
comparison  while  judging,  a  visible  ideal  color  guide, 
specimens  of  real  feathers  taken  from  a  live  female  of  the 
most  nearly  perfect  Standard  color  type,  to  assist  them  in 
the  right  interpretation  of  our  present  word-picture 
Standard. — J.  H.  Henderson. 

I  should  think  it  would;  still  at  the  same  time  it  will 
not  help  to  correct  the  evil  of  double-mating. — L.  P. 
Harris. 

The  above  change  and  description  meets  my  ideas 
exactly.  I  do  not  think  stippling  or  shade  of  color  alone 
should  decide  an  award;  excellence  should  win,  freedom 
from  shafting  being  considered  the  greater  defect. — W. 
G.  Warnock. 

5.  Will  the  revised  American  Standard  of  Perfection 
prove  of  material  benefit  to  the  Brown  Leghorn,  in  pro- 
ducing a  greater  percentage  of  exhibition  males  and  fe- 
males? 

I  believe  it  will,  but  they  cannot  be  bred  from  a 
single  mating  unless  you  should  adopt  Partridge  Cochin 
color — and  then  not,  as  the  best  of  our  Partridge  Cochin 
breeders  use  the  double  matings  to  a  certain  extent. — 
George  H.  Burgott. 

It  is  likely  that  in  Single  Comb  Browns  the  best 
bird  ever  shown  was  shown  last  year.  He,  or  the  same 
yards,  may  not  produce  as  well  this  year,  but  in  a  year 
or  two  will  do  it  again  or  better. — W.  W.  Kulp. 

The  proposed  or  revised  Standard  will  improve  both 
males  and  females,  but  there  is  a  tendency  to  too  low 
tails,  especially  on  females,  giving  them  the  appearance  of 
having  what  we  call    'pinch  tails." — William  F.  Brace. 

We  are  satisfied  with  the  Standard,  but  some  judges 
need  a  few  lessons  on  color,  or  should  occasionally  visit 


some  one  who  breeds  good  Brown  Leghorns.— Charles 
O.  Miers. 

I  do  not  know. — W.  W.  Carmen. 

Yes;  by  giving  a  better  understanding  of  what  is  de- 
sirable in  female  color. — A.  C.  Smith. 

Do  not  know,  but  hope  so. — W.  H.  Wiebke. 

I  think  it  will.  The  description  of  female  is  very 
good.  The  description  of  male  could  be  improved  some. 
— D.  M.  Owen. 

I  hope  so,  should  the  Browns  once  again  be  ever 
placed  in  the  foremost  rank  of  poultrydom,  as  they  have 
been  and  should  be.  The  making  of  extreme  double  mat- 
ings necessary  to  produce  exhibition  males  and  females 
lessens  their  popularity  or  any  other  breed,  for  that  mat- 
ter, in  my  judgment. — H.  C.  Short. 

I  think  the  revised  Standard  will  help  the  Brown 
Leghorns,  and  that  they  will  be  much  improved  in  the 
next  few  years,  as  there  has  been  a  great  improvement  in 
the  past  four  years. — Tom  H.  Woods. 

No,  not  like  it  now  is,  but  will  kill  the  breed,  espe- 
cially to  the  navice,  who  is  the  very  one  we  must  depend 
upon  for  most  of  our  future  business.  There  are  very  few, 
if  any,  good  old  time  Brown  Leghorns  in  the  South  like 
we  used  to  have,  which  always  were  the  leading  classes  at 
our  Southern  shows  fifteen  or  twenty-five  years  ago. 
They  sold  like  hot  cakes  and  laid  eggs  by  the  bushel,  and 
a  sitter  was  always  killed  and  considered  not  pure.  Change 
the  Standard  back,  with  few  exceptions,  to  read  as  it  did 
when  B.  N.  Pierce  and  Thos.  Pottage  produced  the  hardiest 
birds  ever  bred,  that  were  real  Brown  Leghorns,  and  we 
will  some  day  have  them  back — good  and  true  money 
makers,  with  size,  fine  large  comDs,  and  workers  to  stay. 
- — Loring  Brown. 

No. — Florence  Forbes. 

Very  much  depends  upon  the  interpretation.  Our 
Standard  will  be  made  better,  our  breeding  more  satis- 
factory, when  our  judges  learn  the  same  lesson — Standard 
color. — J.  H.  Henderson. 

No. — L.   P.   Harris. 

I  hope  so,  but  I  doubt  it.  About  the  time  breeders 
get  to  producing  a  nice  uniform  flock  some  few  will  ask 
for  a  change  and,  judging  the  future  by  the  past,  they  will 
get  it.  Standard  tinkering  has  driven  the  Brown  Leghorn 
from  many  show  rooms  and  has  made  the  production  of  a 
95-point  specimen  almost  an  impossibility,  and  has  made 
one-half  of  our  flock  culls,  as  judged  by  Standard  require- 
nents. — W.  H.  Warnock. 


S.    C.    BROWN    LEGHORN    MALES 
A  noted  pair  of  winners  showing  excellent  type;  good  head  points  and  lobe 


__     <-'//^<ai/^\\iA^'^ 


Single  Comb  Brown  Leghorns,  1895. 


CHAPTER  IV 


White  Leghorns 

Changes  in  Shape  That  Have  Transformed  the  Modern  White  Leghorn  Into  a  Type  Distinct  From  the  Original. 

History  of  Noted  Fashionable  Strains.     Breeders,  Kxhibitors,  Judges  and  Artists  Responsible  For 

the  Low  Carriage  Tail  Fad.     Standard  Requirements  of  Fortyfive  Degrees  For  Carriage 

of  Tail  Often  Ignored  in  Placing  Awards.     Illustrations  Showing  the 

Changes  in  Carriage  of  Tail  in  the  Past  Forty  Yemrs. 

J.  H.  DrevensteiK 


IT  was  C.  H.  Wyckoff,  who,  fifteen  or  more  years  ago 
coined  the  phrase,  "America's  business  hen,"  and 
apphed  it  to  his  strain  of  White  Leghorns.  Being 
a  shrewd  and  persistent  advertiser  in  the  poultry  and 
farm  journals,  the  phrase  successfully  appealed  to  the 
buying  poultry  patrons  of  the  latter.  It  proved  a  happy 
choice  for  C.  H.  Wyckofi  and  the  White  Leghorns  as 
well.  Mr.  Wyckof!  prior  to  his  embarking  in  the  Leg- 
horn bijsiness  was  a  successful  farmer  in  Western  New 
York  located  not  many  miles  from  Knapp  Bros.,  who  in 
the  early  90's  were  the  kings  of  the  White  Leghorn  fancy. 
The  Knapps  were  successful  in  the  showroom,  meeting 
and  beating  all  comers  for  a  number  of  years.  They  bred 
and  raised  beautiful  White  Leghorns  for  exhibition  and 
also  kept  a  large  flock  for  laying  purposes,  selling  the 
eggs  at  an  advance  over  market  quotations  to  first-class 
hotels  in  New  York. 

White  Leghorn  Eggs  For  the  New  York  Market 
The  demand  for  Leghorn  eggs  in  the  metropolis  of 
.\merica  was  growing  greater  than  the  supply,  which  led 
observing  poultry  farmers  to  look  around  and  see  what 
breed  would  meet  the  requirements  best.  Mr.  Wyckofif 
was  both  observing  and  shrewd,  for  he  observed  what  the 


I860 


Knapps  had  accomplished  with  White  Leghorns  and  he 
wisely  planned  to  build  up  a  strain  of  the  latter  for 
laying  purposes  only,  and  advertised  the  fact  broadcast. 
To  this  the  boom  of  the  Leghorns  owes  much,  not  only  in 
a  commercial  sense,  but  from  a  fancier's  standpoint  as 
well.  Mr.  Wyckoflf's  "America's  business  hen"  proved  a 
winner  ever  since,  as  the  hundreds  of  large  and  small 
commercial  Leghorn  farms  were  successfully  operated  in 
New  Jersey,  New  York,  and  the  Pacific  Coast,  with  a  grad- 
ually broadening  out  to  other  sections  of  the  country, 
practical  poultry  raisers  of  the  West  and  South  taking  to 
Leghorns  as  a  duck  takes  to  water.  The  chalk  white  eggs, 
so  popular  in  New  York  City,  are  finding  new  and  grow- 
ing demands  by  consumers  in  other  cities.  "White  Leg- 
horn Eggs"  is  a  trademark  of  the  highest  value,  one  that 
will  never  be  superseded  by  any  other.  It  is  the  fixed 
standard  of  value  in  the  best  markets.  It  makes  no  differ- 
ence whether  the  eggs  are  laid  by  White,  Brown,  BufT, 
Black,  Pyle  or  Duckwing  Leghorns,  Minorcas,  Anda- 
lusians,  Houdans  and  Anconas  as  long  as  the  shells  are 
white.  But  the  trade  mark  "White  Leghorn  Eggs"  helped 
the  variety  bearing  the  popular  name  White  Leghorn 
most  in  a  general   way,  the  majority  of  poultry   farmers 


K^4  C 


The  evoluUon  of  the  back  and  tail  outlines  of  the  Leghorn  males  from  1869  to  1911  is  clearly  illustrated  In  the 
above  chart.  The  sketches  are  made  from  illustrations  of  first  prize  winners  in  the  years  noted,  except  those  ot  1869  and 
1905,  the  former  being  taken  from  an  old  print  and  the  latter  from  the  1905  Standard  ideal.  The  remainder  were  taken  from 
Mr.  Sewell's  illustrations  of  New  York  winning  cockerels.  The  extreme  upright  carriage  of  the  tail  in  the  1869  sketon  in 
comparison   with   the   standard   ideal  of  1905  seems   just   as  ridiculous  as  the  abnormal  low  carriage  of  the  tall  In  the  1911 


54 


THE  LEGHORNS 


believed  White  Leghorn  eggs  must  be  laid  by  White  Leg- 
horn hens.  This  helped  the  boom  of  the  White  Leghorns 
greatly,  at  the  same  time  increasing  the  interest  in  the 
other  varieties,  so  that  the  wonderful  popularity  of 
Whites  is  not  without  its  beneficial  effects  on  the  Buffs 
and  Browns,  in  the  utilitarian  way. 

The  boom  of  the  Leghorn  as  a  business  hen,  is 
largely  responsible  for  the  popularity  of  Leghorns  as  an 
exhibition   fowl  today. 

Great    Changes   in   Shape   of   Leghorns 

The  modern  exhibition  White  Leghorn  of  today  is 
as  different  from  the  high-tailed,  short-bodied  Leghorn  of 
thirty  years  ago  as  the  exhibition  Game  is  from  the  Pit 
Game.  The  refinement  in  type  improved  the  utilitarian 
qualities,  the  longer  bodied  and  deeper  keeled  bird  of  the 
present  time,  being  the  better  egg  producer. 

The  changes  in  shape  of  Leghorns  are  admirably  il- 
lustrated by  Franklane  L.  Sewell,  in  his  article  on  "The 
Evolution  of  Leghorn  Type,"  beginning  on  page 
23  of  this  book.  Leghorn  types  from  the  crude 
specimens  bred  in  the  early  seventies  to  the  modern 
graceful  and 
sprightly  Leghorn 
are  clearly  outlined 
and  intelligently 
commented  upon 
by  Mr.  Sewell,  af- 
fording an  inter- 
esting and  instruc- 
tive history  of 
shape. 

Fashionable     Type 
of    White    Leg- 
horns 

F  a  s  h  i  o  nable 
types  i  n  White 
Leghorns  were 
less  in  evidence 
thirty  years  ago 
than  ten  years 
later,  when  the 
real  refining  pro- 
cess of  the  crude 
material  at  hand 
began.  The  birds  shown  in  the  early  nineties  by  Knapp  Bros, 
were  excellent  in  head  points,  color  and  type  albeit  the 
carriage  of  tail  was  higher  than  is  considered  good  form 
today.  In  the  illustration  (Fig.  1)  we  have  the  type  of 
male  bird  shown  by  Knapp  Bros.  The  comb  is  a  little 
larger,  the  back  shorter  and  the  tail  carried  more  upright 
than  in  winning  specimens  of  today,  but  otherwise  the 
graceful  sprightly  carriage  is  the  same.  Of  the  winning 
females,  many  would  stand  a  very  fair  chance  of  winning 
at  our  leading  shows  today.  In  our  own  experience  in 
breeding  White  Leghorns  from  1885  to  1889,  we  found 
little  difficulty  in  producing  a  large  percentage  of  good 
females  both  in  color  and  type,  but  in  males,  too  many 
were  "inclined  upward"  in  tails  and  the  surface  color  was 
too  often  tinged  with  brassiness.  Whether  the  modern 
art  of  bleaching  had  not  been  discovered  at  this  time,  or 
whether  we  did  not  select  the  silvery  white  plumaged  and 
quilled  males  and  female  breeders,  carefully  enough,  the 
fact  remains,  we,  as  well  as  many  other  breeders  of  White 
Leghorns,  had  plenty  of  males  that  would  not  pass  muster 
as  truly  or  untruly  white  birds  at  a  modern  poultry  show. 


Fig.   1— Fir 


Legh- 


In  order  to  convey  to  our  readers  a  fairly  accurate 
idea  of  the  accepted  White  Leghorn  type  from  1885  to 
1890,  we  reprint  here  the  illustrations  (Fig.  2  and  Fig.  3), 
made  by  J.  Henry  Lee,  which  appeared  in  the  book 
"P  h  i  1  o  s  ophy  of 
Judging  Fowls" 
by  Felch,  Babcock 
and   Lee,    1889. 

The  prevailing 
fault  of  Leghorns 
at  that  time  is 
clearly  illustrated 
in  the  carriage  of 
the  tail  in  both 
male  and  female 
(Figs.  2  and  3), 
the  tail  of  the 
male  being  close 
to  what  is  called  a 
"squirrel  tail,"  a 
disqualification  un- 
dei  the  present 
Standard,  but  not 
in  the  e  a  r  li  e  r 
Standards,  which 
no  doubt  account- 
ed for  the  large 
numbers  of  squir- 
rel tailed  Leghorns  bred  and  exhibited  thirty  years  ago. 
It  was  a  hereditary  defect  which  took  many  years  of 
careful  selection  to  overcome.  In  the  Standard  of  Per- 
f  ction,  1888,  the  tail  of  the  White  Leghorn  male  was 
described  as  follows:  "Large,  full  and  carried  upright;" 
in  the  female,  "long,  full  and  carried  upright."  That 
was  what  Leghorn  breeders  were  asked  to  breed  to, 
but  many  good  fanciers  did  not  like  this  Standard  ideal 
of  tail  and  the  gradual  change  in  the  carriage  of  the  tail 
started  soon  afterward,  the  fashion  decreeing  a  lower 
angle  at  which  the  tail  was  to  be  carried  and  with  it 
came  the  longer  back,  deeper  body  and  longer  shank 
This  fashion  became 
more  general  after  1893 
when  the  new  types  of 
White  Leghorns  began 
to  appear  at  the  Madi- 
son Square  Garden,  New 
York,  one  of  which  was 
the  Whiting  Type,  so- 
called  because  of  the 
laige  size,  length  of  back 
and  depth  of  body  of  the 
specimens  exhibited  by 
Whiting  Farm  of  Holy- 
oke,  Mass. 
The  Whiting  Leghorns       _^ 

W.  F.  Whiting,  who    ^^ 
originated  this  new  race     =&   . 
of  White  Leghorns,  was 
a    genuine    fancier,    and 
one   of  the  most   intelli-    Fig. 
gent     breeders     of    Leg- 
horns in    New    England. 

It  was  purely  a  fancy  with  Mr.  Whiting,  commercial  re- 
ward being  no  object.  These  birds  were  the  sensation  in 
the  Leghorn  alley  at  New  York  in  1896,  1897  and  1898. 
sweeping  all  before  them.  They  were  in  a  class  by  them- 
selves and  dazzled  the  judges  as  well  as  the  exhibitor.5  by 


THE  LEGHORNS 


55 


their  v.:.;iorm  excellence  in  type  and  color,  albeit,  some 
gooJ  juviges  declared  that  they  were  too  large  and  coarse 
to  lie  characteristic  of  the  true  Leghorn  type.  In  our  re- 
port of  the  White  Leghorn  classes  at  the  New  York 
Show  ■.:  February  1  to  5,  1898,  which  appeared  in  the 
"American  Fancier"  the  following  week  we  remarked: 
"White  Leghorns  were  exceedingly  well  represented,  the 
quality  being  very  superior,  as  a  rule.  Whiting  Farm 
made  the  greatest  record  ever  known  at  a  New  York 
Show,  winning  every  first  prize  in  very  strong  competi- 
tion, ^Ir.  Cornell's  birds  being  decidedly  first-class,  while 
the  exhibit  of  Plainfield  Poultry  Farm  was  highly  meri- 
torious. The  difference  in  type  existing  between  Whiting 
Farm  Leghorns  and  others  has  been  magnified  into 
something  remarkable.  Such  is  not  the  case."  Several  years 
afterward  when  Ezra  Cornell,  E.  G.  Wyckofif  and  others 
began  ij  take  up  the  work  after  Mr.  Whiting  retired  from 
the  field,  a  new  and  shining  light  in  the  White  Leghorn 
fancy  appeared  on  the  scene  and  made  a  great  record 
from  his  first  exhibit  at  New  York  to  the  present 
day.  This  was  D.  W.  Young  of  Monroe,  New  York. 
His  strain  was  carefully  selected  from  the  flock  of 
White  Leghorns  bred  for  many  years  by  his  father,  on 
the  Young  homestead  at  Highlands.  Mr.  Young's  own 
story  of  how  he  built  up  his  strain  and  how  he  produced 
the  fashionable  and  popular  type  of  White  Leghorn  of 
today  will  be  found  in  this  chapter.  It  will  prove  instruc- 
tive an(i  valuable  reading  for  all  breeders  of  White  Leg- 
horns. 

Modern  Exhibition  Leghorns 

The  modern  exhibition  Leghorn  dates  its  beginning 
in  1893.  The  types  of  Mr.  Cornell's  famous  cockerel 
"Prince  Purity,"  and  his  mate,  a  pullet,  both  winners  of 
first  prizes  at  New  York  in  1893,  were  accepted  by  judges 
and  breeders  at  that  time  as  the  most  advanced  and  de- 
sirable. We  reproduce  here  a  sketch  made  for  Mr.  Cor- 
nell by  Franklane  L.  Sewell.  White  Leghorns  weie  the 
largest  in  size  of  all  the  Leghorn  family.  They  were  at 
the  same  time  graceful  birds,  full  of  curves,  and  as  trim 
and  sprightly  as  a  Game  cock.     Their  tails  were  well  fur- 


-S-^.. 


Sr- 


Fig.   4— The  Whiting   Type   of  Legho 


nished  and  spread.  Then  came  an  era  when  small  birds 
with  white  plumage  and  pinched  tails  won.  About  four 
yeais  ago  a  change  for  the  better  v.  as  ir.ade,  and  larger 
birds  with  all  the  characteristics  of  the  old  Leghorn  were 
demanded.  Mr.  Whiting  was  shrewd  enough  to  see  the 
point  at  once  and 
started  in  t  3 
breed  for  the 
to  date  bird.  So/ 
did  Knapp  Bros 
Ezra  Cornell  and 
others.  The 
suit  is  we  have  i 
most  beautiful 
White  Leghorn 
today,  that  stands 
well  up  on  its 
legs,  shows  the 
graceful  curve  of 
the  hocks  instead 
of  losing  it  in  the 
overhanging  body 
and  fluff.  Of 
course,  there  is 
ov  e  r  d  oi  n  g  the 
size  and  leading 
the  breed  toward  coarseness,  but  judges  will  soon 
realize  this  danger  and  act  accordingly.  White  Leg- 
horns made  rapid  progress  after  that  with  the  late  Ezra 
Cornell's  birds  setting  the  fashion. 

A  careful  comparison  of  the  shape  of  the  male  and 
female  with  the  shape  of  winners  at  our  recent  shows  will 
prove  the  Cornell  pair  (Fig.  5)  to  be  of  the  same  type  as 
first-class  specimens  of  today,  albeit  the  ultra  fashionable 
droop  of  the  tail  in  the  male  is  not  as  pronounced.  But 
measured  by  the  present  illustrated  Standard  ideal,  the 
cockerel  carries  his  tail  only  a  trifle  higher  than  at  the  re- 
quired angle  of  45  degrees.  In  length  of  back  "Prince 
Purity"  exceeds  the  Standard  ideal  but  not  the  twentieth 
century  ideal  of  the  White  Leghorn  breeders.  Length  of 
back  and  tail  is  the  latter's  hobby,  which  has  become  the 
fashion.  But  like  all  new  fashions, 
extremes  are  sure  to  follow,  so  we 
find  White  Leghorn  males  with  im- 
mensely long  backs  and  tails,  the  latter 
drooping  in  the  characteristic  Sumatra 
Game  style,  the  greater  and  lesser 
sickles  losing  in  breadth  and  firmness 
of  web  of  feathers,  becoming  as  soft 
as  tail  coverts,  but  reaching  out  in 
length  far  beyond  the  main  tail  feath- 
ers dropping  instead  of  curving  over 
the  top  of  the  tail.  While  this  fea- 
ture may  be  desirable  in  the  Sumatra 
and  the  Phoenix  fowl,  it  is  not  a  Leg- 
horn characteristic.  Leghorns  are 
hard  and  close  feathered  birds,  any 
approach  to  loose  feathering  in  body 
and  fluflf  and  in  sickle  feathers  creat- 
ing a  suspicion  that  foreign  blood  has 
been  used  to  obtain  the  desired  length 
of  tail.  As  the  Silver  Duckwing  Leg- 
horn had  considerable  of  the  Shin- 
awarataos  or  Japanese  Phoenix  blood 
in  its. original  make-up,  long  flowing 
tails  were  not  uncommon  in  the  males 
(if  that  variety  and  with  both  male  and 


5(! 


THE   LEGHORNS 


female  Silver  Duckwings  possessing  excellent  shape  and 
sprightly  appearance,  a  Duckwing-White  Leghorn  cross 
was  not  at  all  improbable  or  impossible,  where  lengthen- 
ing of  back  and  tail  of  White  Leghorns  was  the  object 
fanciers  as  a  rule  are  prone  to  believe  that  the  end  jus- 
tifies the  means,  so  govern  themselves  accordingly. 

Lengthening  and  Drooping  of  Tails 

We  call  attention  to  this  extreme  lengthening  and 
drooping  of  the  tails  in  modern  White  Leghorns,  not  be- 
cause conservative  judgment  objects  to  longer  tails  set 
at  lower  angles  than  the  present  Standard  demands,  but 
as  a  warning  to  the  extremists  not  to  overdo  a  good  thing 
and  destroy  the  characteristic  Leghorn  type. 

The  first  prize  White  Leghorn  cock  at  New  York 
1909-10  is  probably  the  finest  living  model  of  the  fash- 
ionable type  of  White  Leghorns  today.  This  bird  is  an 
old  one,  who  has  been  successfully  bred  to  females,  of  his 
own  blood  lines,  reproducing  in  the  male  progeny  his 
characteristic  back  and  tail  lines.  A  study  of  the  angles 
at  which  these  tails  are  carried  compared  with  the  car- 
riage of  the  tails  of  the  Standard  male  ideal  Leghorn  and 
the  Cornell  winner  of  1893,  will  show  a  difference  of  ten 
to  fifteen  degrees  between  the  fashionable  modern  White 
Leghorn  and  the  Standard  and  Cornell  ideals.  If  the 
low  carried  tail  is  the  modern  breeders'  correct  ideal,  then 
our  American  Standard  of  Perfection  is  incorrect  in  two 
sections,  namely:  The  angle  at  which  the  tail  is  carried; 
and  the  length  of  the  back.  To  meet  the  requirements 
of  the  fashionable  type  of  Leghorn  males,  the  angle 
should  be  reduced  from  45  to  35  degrees,  and  the  back  in- 
stead of  being  of  "Moderate  length"  as  required  by  the 
revised  Standard  of  1910,  should  be  "rather  long."  This, 
it  seems  to  us,  would  be  consistent  and  bring  the  male 
type  in  harmony  with  that  of  the  female,  the  latter  being 
long  in  back  with  well  spread  tail,  carried  quite  low,  in 
nearly  all  the  winning  specimens  in  the  past  ten  years.  It 
is  true  that  the  new  Standard  describes  the  back  of  the 
male  as  "sloping  downward  from  shoulders  to  center  of 
back,  then  r'sing  in  a  gradually  increasing  concave  sweep 
to  tail."  which  fits  the  modern  Leghorn  male  back  line 
nicely,  and  gives  the  whole  back  the  appearance  of  being 
rather  long,  but  the  preceding  words  of  "moderate 
length"  do  not  convey  clearly  enough  the  real  length  of 
the  back  outline.  The  Cornell  pullet  of  1893  (see  Fig.  5) 
and  the  Standard  ideal  illustration  of  1905,  show  the  de- 
sirable length  of  back  found  in    winning    females  today. 


To  mate  a  comparatively  short-backed  male  like  the  one 
illustrated  in  the  Standard  of  190S  with  long  backed  fe- 
males is  not  calculated  to  produce  the  best  results,  if 
single  matings  of  White  Leghorns  should  be  the  rule, 
and  not  the  exception. 

In  shape  of  breast  and  body  and  length  of  legs  mod- 
ern White  Leghorns  are  nearly  ideal,  these  sections 
blending  harmoniously  and  producing  the  sprightly, 
graceful  carriage  that  topped  with  a  fine  head  and  comb, 
and  a  well  furnished  and  nicely  carried  tail,  makes  the 
Leghorn  one  of 
t  h  e  handsomest 
and  most  attrac- 
tive breeds  of  fowl 
on   earth. 

Improvement 

in   Shape   and 

Smoothness  of 

Combs 

Combs  in  both 
males  and  females 
have  improved 
greatly  in  shape, 
smoothness  of  tex- 
ture and  in  regu- 
larity of  serrations 
in  the  past  fifteen 
years.  They  have 
also     been     bred 

down  to  a  respect-     j,jq    6_ideal    white   leghorn 
able    size,    the    old  head 

larse    heavv    thick      Winner  of  Special  Prize  at  New  York, 
large,    neavy,    inicK  1909-10  for  Best  Head  and  Comb 

fleshed,  coarsely 

serrated  and  thumb  marked  comb,  common  twenty  or 
more  years  ago  having  disappeared.  The  Standard  illus- 
tration furnished  a  good  ideal  for  breeders  to  breed  to  and 
the  type  is  generally  approved  by  modern  fanciers  of 
White  Leghorns,  although  such  leading  breeders  as  D.  W. 
Young  and  George  H.  Burgott  believe  one  more  point 
should  be  added  to  the  Leghorn  comb,  contending  that 
the  first  small  serration  is  not  strictly  a  point,  no  more 
than  the  first  notch  in  a  saw  is  a  tooth.  We  illustrate 
herewith  the  winner  of  the  special  prize  at  the  Madison 
Square  Garden,  New  York,  1909-1910,  for  the  best  head 
and  comb. 


Sinj^le  Comb  White  Leghorns 


Origin    and    History  of    the    Development    of    the    Most    Famous  Strain    of    Single    Comb    White    Leghorns 
America— Line    Breeding  and  Careful    Selection  of   Sires  and  Dams  Responsible  for    the 
Great  Improvement  in  Type  and  Comb— Systematic  and  Scientific  Feeding 
of  Grains  Important  in  Obtaining  Pure  White   Plumage. 


HAVING  bred  the  same  strain  of  White  Leghorns 
for  the  past  thirty  years,  it  may  prove  interesting 
to  Leghorn  breeders  to  know  the  origin  of  this 
strain.  It  was  in  1853  that  Mr.  W.  Simpson  claimed  to 
be  the  first  breeder  of  White  Leghorns  in  this  country. 
He  got  them  from  an  officer  of  a  ship,  which  came  from 
some  Mediterranean  port.  About  the  same  time  Captain 
Stratton  of  Lewisburg,  N.  Y.,  (a  small  place  opposite  the 
city  of  Poughkeepsie)  had  a  barkentine  which  sailed 
from    Leghorn,  Italy,  to  New  York,  and    which    brought 


Youn« 

over  a  lot  of  Brown  and  White  Leghorns  or  "Italians" 
as  they  were  known  at  that  period.  My  father,  S.  G. 
Young,  purchased  these  birds  and  bred  them  at  the  old 
homestead  at  Clintondale,  Highland,  New  York,  for  many 
years  afterward,  never  introducing  new  blood  except 
through  the  female.  It  was  from  this  flock  that  I  started 
my  present  strain,  which  has  been  kept  pure,  no  new 
blood  having  been  introduced  at  any  time  in  the  past 
thirty  years. 

I   started  to  improve  the  type   of  the  breed  at   once 


THE   LEGHORNS 


beginning  with  breeding  for  small  combs  so  as  not  to 
handicap  the  small  frame  of  the  Leghorn,  at  the  same 
time  lengthening  the  back  and  dropping  the  carriage  of 
the  tail.  The  early  Leghorns  were  almost  squirrel-tailed, 
and  short  in  back,  the  combs  being  very  large,  thumb- 
marked  and  unevenly  serrated,  with  long  coarse  wattles. 
Both  combs  and  wattles  were  a  decided  handicap,  espe- 
cially on  cold  days  and  nights  of  the  winter,  freezing 
completely  ofif  in  a  temperature  not  lower  than  fifteen 
above  zero.  The  neat  small  comb  and  wattles  of  the 
modern  Leghorn  do  not  freeze  readily;  neither  do  they 
make  such  heavy  drain  on  the  vitality  of  the  bird.  The 
deepening  and  lengthening  of  the  body  increased  the 
-trength  of  the  White  Leghorn,  making  a  more  vigorous 
liird  and  a  greater  layer.  Scientific  mating,  careful  line 
breeding  and  feeding  foods  that  are  rich  in  protein,  en- 
aljled  me  to  accomplish  the  above  result,  but  soon  found 
that  we  were  approaching  the  Minorca  type,  in  fact, 
nearly  adopting  it,  so  started  to  breed  from  birds  which 
I>ossessed  longer,  lower  and  well  spread  tails  and  con- 
cave backs.  We  found  this  improved  the  appearance 
wonderfully,  bringing  out  the  beautiful  curved  lines  that 
give  the  unsurpassed  grace  and  style  of  the  Leghorn. 
.\nother  improvement  made  was  in  lengthening  the  legs 
of  White  Leghorns,  which  gives  them  more  power  of  en- 
durance, as  they  are  one  of  the  greatest  foragers  amoiiL: 
domestic  fowl. 

Improving  the  Color 
The  first  White  Leghorns  bred  in  this  country  were 
not    of   the    pure    spotless    white    plumage    found    in    the 
i  ■  Ljhi.riis  of  today.     It  was  impossible  to  find  a  male  bir.l 


■FIRST  PlilZE  HENriEWYoRK,DEC.Z7!9°9-JAN-l,!9|O.I 
iBRtDAND  ow.neD  BY  D.W.Yc'JNQ,MOjMRoE:,HY.I 


llie  White  Leghorn  hen  Illustrated  above  is  the  dam  of 
the  first  prize  White  Leghorn  cockerel  at  New  York,  1909-10. 
1  eteried  to  by  Mr.  Young  in  his  article. 


whiter  than  straw  color  or  not  ticked  with  brown  or 
black  feathers  in  those  early  days  and  for  years  after- 
ward it  was  a  rare  instance  when  a  male  was  found  free 
from  creaminess  or  brassiness.  I  started  twenty-two 
years  ago  to  produce  pure  white  plumage  by  breeding 
from  the  greatest  layers  which  were  always  the  whitest 
birds  and  feeding  only  food  that  was  free  from  any  color 
pigment,  tising  white  instead  of  yellow  corn,  as  an  illus- 
tration. 

The  eye  of  the  Leghorn  j'ears  ago  was  pale,  being  yel- 
low or  daw  in  color.  This  by  careful  selection  has  been 
bred  out  and  replaced  by  the  brilliant  red  eye,  which  adds 
greatly  to  the  beauty  of  the  bird,  also  giving  it  a  more 
snappy  and  vigorous  appearance.  The  yellow  and  red 
ear-lobe  has  disappeared  and  the  beautiful,  almond 
shaped,  pure  white  lobe  has  taken  its  place. 

These  improvements  in  shape  and  color  have  given  us 
a  variety  that  stands  unequalled  among  our  domesticated 
races  of  poultry  as  an  exhibition  and  utility  fowl.  The 
White  Leghorn  breeds  perfectly  true  to  type  and  feather 
from  single  matings  if  line  bred.  Our  first  prize  hen  at 
Madison  Square  Garden  in  1909  was  the  dam  of  our  first 
prize  cockerel  at  the  same  show.  He  was  also  1st  cock 
Madison  Sqtiare  Garden  1910.  Both  are  illustrated  in  this 
article.  We  use  a  pedigree  or  line  breeding  chart  for  all 
of  our  matings,  so  can  trace  the  breeding  of  every 
breeder  ana  show  specimens  back  for  many  generations. 

Standard  Ideals 

The  old  Standard  ideals  for  both  male  and  female 
were  correct  in  type,  except  in  the  male,  which  should  be 
longer  in  back  and  carry  tail  at  an  angle  of  40  degrees 
and  combs  still  smaller  in  both  sexes. 


58 


THE   LEGHORNS 


Exhibition  Leghorns  Best  Layers 

Staiulard-bred  or  exhibition  White  Leghorns  make 
the  best  layers  because  they  are  the  result  of  years  of 
careful  selection  and  breeding  to  attain  the  length  of  body, 
(icpth  of  keel  and  legs  set  well  apart  that  form  the  proper 
frame  for  big  layers.  This,  in  addition  to  the  fact  that 
very  little  fat  forming  foods  for  years  have  been  fed  to 
our  Leghorns,  account  for  their  superiority  as  egg  pro- 
ducers over  the  smaller,  shorter  bodied  type  of  twenty- 
five  to  thirty  years  ago. 

Feeding  and  Housing  Leghorns 
On  the  proper  feeding  of  White  Leghorns  largely 
depends  the  success  of  the  breeder  in  the  show  room  and 
the  profit  he  realizes  from 
the  eggs  produced.  I  start 
chicks  with  Spiatt's  chick 
food,  containing  plenty  of 
protein.  This  is  dampened 
slightly  and  fed  alternately 
with  Cyphers  chick  food 
five  times  a  day  and  con- 
tinue these  two  foods  until 
chicks  are  about  six  weeks 
of  age.  After  that  we  feed 
a  mixed  grain  ration  made 
up  as  follows:  One  part 
wheat,  one  part  oat  groats, 
one  part  barley  groats,  and 
one  part  cracked  white 
corn  three  times  a  day. 
The  hoppers  we  keep  filled 
with  meat  scraps  and  bran. 
The  chickens  have  plenty 
of  free  range,  which  pro- 
vides abundant  vegetable 
food.  The  laying  hens  are 
fed  as  follows:  First  feed 
in  litter  at  daylight  con- 
sists of,  one  part  wheat, 
two  parts  slipped  oats,  one 
part  white  corn,  one  part 
barley,  and  one  part  golden 
millet.  The  night  feed  is 
given  at  4  P.  M.,  and  is  the 
same  as  in  the  morning. 
At  noon  we  throw  oats  and 
millet,  about  a  handful  for 
every  four  hens,  in  the  lit- 
ter. In  the  hoppers  we  use 
a  dry  mash  consisting  of 
one   part  ground   oats,   one 

part  wheat  bran,  one  part  wheat  middlings,  one-half  part 
oil  meal,  one  part  of  beef  scraps,  and  two  parts  cut  alfalfa. 
These  hoppers  are  left  open  for  one  hour  each  day  at 
noon.  In  addition  the  fowls  have  access  to  pure  water. 
charcoal,  oyster  shells,  grit,  and  vegetables  at  all  times. 

Houses  and  Yards  for  Leghorns 
My  houses  are  twelve  feet  square,  ceiled  with  one 
inch  North  Carolina  pine.  Roofing  paper  is  placed  on 
either  side  of  the  studding  and  rafters,  forming  a  four 
inch  air  space.  The  floors  are  made  of  concrete,  3x4  inch 
floor  beams  being  laid  and  the  latter  covered  with  spruce 
flooring.  This  prevents  dampness  and  is  proof  against 
weasels,  rats,  minks  and  mice.  We  never  keep  over  fifteen 
females  to  one  male  in  one  of  these  rooms,  as  we  can  get 
better   results   and   more   eggs   of   a   higher   fertility   from 


'V0«)EI)6Y?\VYoUN^j 


A  typical  Wliite  Leghorn  cock  in  shape  and  carriage, 
forming  closely  to  the  Standard  description  in  both  bacl! 
tail  sections,  the  tail  being  well  spread  and  carried  at  an 
that  finds  favor  with  White  Leghorn  breeders  of  today. 


this  number  than  by  doubling  the  number  m  the  same 
space.  The  floor  of  each  house  is  covered  with  about  one 
inch  of  coarse  building  sand  or  fine  gravel  on  which  about 
eight  inches  of  cut  dry  straw  for  litter  is  placed.  The 
latter  is  thrown  back  once  a  week  and  the  floor  raked 
and  cleaned.  The  roosts  are  made  of  2x4  hemlock  joists, 
planed  smooth  and  the  corners  rounded,  placed  eight 
inches  above  the  droppings  platform,  the  latter  being 
three  feet  wide  and  two  and  one-half  feet  from  the  floor 
with  a  three  inch  shingle  lath  on  the  front  and  back  to 
keep  in  the  sand,  with  v.-hich  it  is  filled,  in  its  place.  This 
is  cleaned  every  morning  before  daylight  the  year  around, 
so  that  the  birds  can  use  it  as  a  dust  bath,  which  makes  a 
great  saving  of  floor  space.  The  houses  are  white-washed 
twice  a  year  and  the  latest 
approved  sanitary  methods 
are  carefully  applied  to  in- 
sure the  health  of  the  fowls. 

Preparing  for  the  Show 

White  Leghorns  which 
have  been  properly  housed 
and  fed  as  outlined  above, 
require  little  of  extra  prepar- 
ation for  the  showroom,  ex- 
cept washing.  C)ur  method 
of  washing  is  as  follows: 

After  contining  the 
bird  in  an  exhibition  coop 
for  three  or  four  days,  in 
order  to  accustom  him  to 
confinement,  I  take  a  basin 
of  hot  water  and  soap,  and 
sc.ub  with  a  nail  brush  his 
head,  comb,  legs  and  feet 
thoroughly.  Next  take  five 
tubs  of  soft  water,  the  first 
being  heated  to  a  tempera- 
ture of  about  110  degrees, 
.Submerge  the  bird,  head 
and  all  in  this  tub.  .'\fter 
the  feathers  are  soaked 
through  to  the  skin.  I  take 
a  cake  of  Ivory  soap  and 
rub  it  well  into  the  feathers 
until  a  lather  is  formed.  Am 
not  afraid  of  using  too  much 
soap.  After  I  am  sure  the 
bird  is  clean,  I  rinse  ofif  as 
much  of  the  suds  as  possible 
in  this  water.  Xe.xt  the  bird 
is  put  in  tub  number 
two.  which  water  is  heated  to  about  90  degrees,  and  rinsed 
well  in  this.  Then  put  in  tub  number  three,  the  same 
temperature,  and  rinse  carefully  in  this  water.  Next 
place  in  tub  number  four,  same  temperature,  then  in 
tub  number  five,  which  is  cold  and  blued  a  little  more  than 
is  ordinarily  used  for  laundry  work.  After  taking  bird 
out  of  the  last  tub,  he  is  placed  in  a  room  heated  to  about 
90  degrees,  in  a  training  coop  tbout  three  feet  square,  with 
clean  cut  straw  or  shavings  for  litter,  being  very  careful 
to  keep  it  clean  so  that  the  feathers  will  not  become 
soiled.  Of  course,  it  pays  to  look  after  the  birds  while  . 
they  are  drying  as  the  feathers  are  liable  to  become 
twisted,  especially  the  sickle  feathers  of  the  male  birds. 
In  about  twenty-four  hours  after  this  is  done  the  plumage 
will  be  in  perfect  shape  and  the  bird,  if  he  is  white  nat- 
urally, will  be  perfectly  clean  and  as  white  as  i::.;-.v. 


Breeding  White  Leghorns  to  Standard  liequircnieiits 

Type  and  Size  of  Great  Importance  in  the  Seleetinn  of  rtreeding  Stock. 
Ezra  Cornell 


IT  WOULD  seem  an  easy  matter  to  tell  others  how 
to  breed  exhibition  White  Leghorns,  but  I  find  it 
otherwise.  The  whole  story  seems  to  be  told  when 
you  have  said,  "Mate  your  best  exhibition  males  with  your 
best  exhibition  females."  Theoretically,  that  is  all  there 
is  of  it.  and  would  probably  leave  nothing  more  to  say  if 
our  best  exhibition  birds  were  perfect  and  had  been  bred 
from  perfect  specimens.  But  where  the  rub  comes,  is 
that  our  birds  are  never  either  perfect  or  alike — every 
bird  ha?  its  faults.  They  may  be  slight,  but  still  they 
exist.  It  is  these  faults,  perhaps,  added  to  those  of  the 
mate,  and  as  like  as  not  accentuated  in  the  offspring,  that 
make  all  the  trouble.  If  White  Leghorns  had  been  bred 
true  to  the  standard  for  centuries  and  were  a  product  of 
nature,  it  would  be  a  comparatively  easy  matter  to  per- 
petuate standard  characteristics  without  the  faults,  but  as 
they  are  a  production  of  man's  genius,  they  have  a  strong 
tendency,  as  have  all  our  domestic  fowls,  to  revert  to  their 
natural  or  original  state.  It  is  for  these  reasons  that 
those  traits  which  we  consider  faults  are  so  persistently 
cropping  out. 

How  to  keep  your  birds  up  to  the  highest  state  of 
perfection  is  a  problem  which  presents  itself  with  each 
year's  matings.  You  must  study  the  standard,  study  the 
ideal  cuts  and  learn  to  know  exactly  what  is  wanted — 
then  study  your  birds.  Never  breed  from  a  bird  having 
a  serious  fault,  or  mate  birds  that  are  faulty  in  corres- 
ponding sections;  if  you  do,  the  fault  will  probably  re- 
appear even  more  prominently  in  a  very  large  percentage 
of  the  offspring.  Another  important  thing  and  one  that 
must  not  be  neglected  or  slighted  is  to  know  that  your 
birds  are  well  bred  and  to  know  the  faults  that  were 
greatest  in  their  ancestors.  You  might  get  an  extremely 
fine  specimen  which  was  produced  by  chance;  that  is, 
bred  from  inferior  birds,  but  such  a  bird  is  not,  as  a  rule, 
a  good  breeder.  Good  stock  birds  are  only  produced 
after  years  of  careful  breeding — after  mating  specimens 
of  the  finest  standard  type  for  a  succession  of  years.  In 
this  way  and  in  no  other  will  the  desired  traits  become 
well  fixed  and  reproduce  with  any  degree  of  satisfaction. 

The  best  White  Leghorns  I  have  known  have  been 
produced  by  standard  or  single  matings,  that  is,  exhibition 
males  and  females  have  been  produced  from  the  same 
mating.  There  is  no  necessity  to  resort  to  double  mat- 
ings unless  it  is  to  produce  slightly  better  lobes,  but  this 
is  too  insignificant  to  repay  one  for  the  extra  trouble  and 
expense. 

Our  birds  must,  first  of  all,  be  true  to  type,  as  it  is 
type  that  makes  the  breed.  To  get  birds  correct  in  shape, 
you  must  learn  what  the  correct  shape  or  type  is,  and 
there  is  no  better  way  of  learning  this  than  to  study  your 
standard,  also  the  ideal  cuts.  Do  not  believe  that  the  tail 
should  be  carried  low  or  well  back,  because  some  breeder 
or  judge  happens  to  have  gotten  such  an  idea  and  pub- 
lishes an  article  setting  forth  his  notion  as  a  fact.  Refer 
to  your  standard  and  see  what  it  says  and,  as  a  rule,  you 
will  not  go  far  wrong  if  you  follow  it. 

Let  us  consider  size.  There  is  no  fixed  size  required, 
consequently  there  is  a  vast  difference  of  opinion  as  to 
what  the  correct  Leghorn  should  weigh.  Personally,  I 
prefer  the  females  to  weigh  five  pounds,  and  the  cocks  to 
weigh  si.x  and  one-half  pounds.     There  is  not  much  dif- 


ference in  the  weights  of  the  hens  and  pullets  at  the  time 
of  our  winter  shows,  but  the  cockerels  have  not  then  at- 
tained their  full  weight;  they  are  somewhat  slower  in 
filling  out,  the  heavier  layers  are  slower  to  mature,  are 
poorer  layers,  and  are  almost  always  of  a  poor  type. 
Many  will  undoubtedly  consider  these  large  weights,  but 
they  are  about  the  size  of  the  best  birds  seen  at  New 
York  and  Boston.  I  have  seen  Leghorn  hens,  both  in 
Whites  and  Browns,  at  New  York  weighing  six  and  one- 
half  pounds,  and  I  saw  one  Brown  Leghorn  cockerel 
which  weighed  eight  and  one-half  pounds.  Such  birds 
are  of  course  extreme  and  are  undesirable. 

Next  take  the  'head,  the  most  essential  feature  of 
which  is  the  comb.  This  must  be  good,  especially  on  the 
Whites.  No  matter  how  good  your  bird  is  in  other  sec- 
tions, he  will  not  pass  muster  either  as  an  exhibition  bird 
or  as  a  breeder  if  his  comb  is  bad.  A  Leghorn  comb 
should  be  of  medium  size,  not  large,  as  many  seem  to 
think.  The  female  comb  should  be  firm  on  the  head  and 
stand  perfectly  erect  in  front,  including  the  first  point,  the 
rest  of  the  points  falling  gracefully  to  one  side.  Such 
combs  as  this  are  by  no  means  common;  in  fact,  too  little 
attention  has  been  given  to  this  particular.  With  such 
combs  as  these  on  the  females  you  will  have  little  trouble 
producing  good  combs  on  the  males. 

Another  important  point  is  that  the  front  of  the  comb 
should  not  extend  forward  on  leaY.ing  the  head.  If  it  does, 
you  will  have  too  much  material  and  will  get  small  folds 
commonly  called  "thumb  marks,"  which  are  unsightly  and 
should  be  avoided.  The  present  standard  calls  for  five 
points.  In  this  I  think  it  is  too  severe.  If  a  comb  is 
otherwise  good  I  think  it  makes  no  difference  whether 
there  are  five  or  six  points,  and  you  can  not  tell  at  a 
glance  which  number  a  bird  has;  but  if  there  are  only 
four,  or  if  there  are  eight,  you  will  notice  at  once  that 
there  are  too  few  or  too  many.  It  is  not  my  intention  to 
advise  any  breeder  not  to  follow  the  standard  as  nearly 
as  is  possible. 

The  earlobes  are  the  next  important  part  of  the 
head,  and  are  by  no  means  easily  produced  by  single 
matings.  If  you  get  good,  well  enameled  lobes  on  the 
females  you  are  likely  to  get  males  with  white  faces, 
whereas  if  the  face  and  lobes  of  the  male  are  good,  you 
will  probably  get  poorly  enameled  lobes  on  the  females. 
The  earlobes  of  the  males  rarely  remain  good  as  the  bird 
advances  in  age;  they  almost  invariably  become  rough 
and  slightly  specked  or  streaked  with  red.  or  else  the  bird 
becomes  white  in  the  face.  The  latter  is  by  all  odds  the 
least  desirable.  The  white  face  is  very  unpleasing  in  ap- 
pearance and  is  something  I  would  not  have.  You  will 
frequently  get  cockerels  which  will  never  go  white  in  the 
face,  but  which  possess  lobes  that  are  indistinctly  out- 
lined. Such  birds  are  usually  considered  to  have  white 
faces,  whereas  they  have  not  and  never  will  have  and 
should  of  course  be  less  severely  criticised  than  those 
which  have  that  failing.  I  like  cockerels  to  have  a  fair 
sized,  round,  well  enameled  lobe — one  that  will  almost  al- 
ways show  a  little  red  in  older  age,  and  females  with 
rather  poorly  enameled  lobes,  which  are  not  too  prom- 
inent. Females  with  lobes  of  this  kind  will  produce  good 
lobes  on  the  male  offspring,  and  will  themselves  pass 
muster  in  the  show  room,  with  but  a  slight  cut. 

59 


:;o 


THE   LEGHORXS 


A  pure  white  plumage  throughout  is  tiemanded,  and 
from  the  way  this  subject  has  lately  b;en  taken  up  a  per- 
son would  almost  be  led  to  suppose  that  heretofore  breed- 
ers had  not  made  a  proper  effort  to  produce  white  birds, 
but  I  assure  you  that  many  have  been  doing  all  they 
could  in  this  direction. 

During  my  lirst  year  as  an  exhil)il  ir,  pure  v.-hite  birds 
were  not  uncommon  at  New  York,  liut  a  ric'i  yellow 
=hnnk    ai-.d    licak    were   never   to   be    found   'h     •         ■     ;v:rr- 


(  FIRST  PRIZE  C'KRU.      BUFFALO  SHOW    \907 
Bt-ed  And  Ov-nedBy 


O.U.WHE&I.&R 


WHITE  LEGHORN  COCKEREL, 
Winner  ot  first  prize  at   Buffalo.   1907;   also   winner  fi 
honors  at  Boston.  1908.     An  exceptionally   fine   Leghorn  m 
type   and    sprightline^s.    the    erect    carriage    being   char 


white  birds.  One  of  the  most  successful  birds  I  have  ever 
owned — a  winner  of  three  firsts  at  New  York — never  had 
even  so  much  as  a  yellow  tint  to  his  shanks.  He  was  pure 
white — plumage,  shanks,  beak  and  all,  but  he  won.  Then 
the  reaction  set  in  and  a  rich  yellow  leg  was  demanded 
and  soon  appeared,  but  with  a  creamy  tint  t.i  the  plum- 
age. 

I  have  seen  birds  with  yellow  shanks  and  white  pliv.r- 
age,  but  I  have  never  yet  seen  a  pure  white  bird  with  the 
rich,  deep  yellow  shank  and  beak — such  a  colored  shank 
and  beak  as  is   wanted   and   such   as  we   should   have   <  n 


all  young  stock.  Many  claim  this  to  be  a  possible  combi- 
nation: may  be  it  is,  but  I  have  never  seen  it,  and  I  have 
seen  most  of  our  best  eastern  show  birds  of  recent  years, 
and  have  been  a  careful  observer  of  them.  By  mating 
pure  white  birds  you  will  in  a  very  short  time  entirely 
lose  the  color  of  the  shanks  and  beak,  and  in  order  to  re- 
store this  color  you  must  use  a  bird  with  the  deep,  rich 
yellow  shanks  and  beak  and  a  creamy  tint  in  the  plumage. 
By  a  creamy  tint  I  do  not  mean  a  straw-colored  bird,  a 
yellr.v  bird,  or  a  brassy  bird.  I  believe  in  sticking  to  the 
rich,  f'cep  yellow  shanks  and  beak,  and  then  get  as  white 
birds  as  you  can. 

Personally,  I  prefer  young  White  Leghorns  with  the 
creamy  tint  and  rich  yellow  shanks  and  believe  them  to 
be  the  best  and  the  correct  color.  The  creamy  tint  in 
plumage  is  merely  condition  and  not  lack  of  good  breed- 
ing. Take  a  flock  of  pullets  showing  this  tint  very  dis- 
tinctly and  after  they  have  been  busy  laying  eggs  for  a 
year  or  two,  without  once  stopping  to  recuperate  by  set- 
ting, you  will  find  that  they  are  white  enough;  the  creamy 
tint  will  have  altogether  disappeared  with  loss  of  vigor; 
the  shanks  and  beak  will  also  have  lost  their  deep,  rich 
yellow  appearance,  and  will  have  become  a  much  lighter 
shade.  If  these  birds  were  white  to  start  with,  they  will 
have  become  white  throughout — shanks,  beak  and  all.  Old 
birds  immediately  after  molt  also  show  this  creamy  tint  in 
plumage,  but  soon  lose  it  as  the  feathers  ripen,  or,  as  we 
call  it,  harden  down. 

It  the  creamy  tint  was  not  condition,  it  could  not  dis- 
appear or  change  as  it  does,  and  I  consider  it  entirely 
wrong  for  judges  to  cut  a  bird  for  color  as  they  always 
do  when  shown  in  this  condition.  If  they  cut  at  all  it 
should  be  for  condition  and  nothing  else.  An  old  bird 
showing  this  tint  (that  is,  soon  after  molting)  is  not  in 
good  show  condition  and  should  be  cut,  but  a  young  bird 
should  have  this  tint  when  in  the  very  pink  of  condition, 
and  should  not  be  cut  either  for  color  or  condition. 

In  the  winter  of  1892  and  1893  I  purchased  the  best 
eight  White  Leghorn  males  and  the  best  fifteen  females 
I  could  find,  at  a  cost  of  $345.  These  birds  won  every  first 
and  second  prize  at  the  New  York  show  of  that  year,  and 
at  once  gave  me  something  to  advertise  and  the  founda- 
tion stock  of  my  present  strain.  With  this  number  of 
birds  I  was  able  to  make  a  sufficient  number  of  matings 
to  enable  me  to  continue  without  once  going  outside  for 
new  blood,  and  I  consider  this  the  only  safe  and  satis- 
factory way  of  breeding.  There  might  have  been  a  better 
way  of  starting,  but  if  I  was  to  start  again  it  would  be  in 
pretty  much  the  same  manner,  or  as  near  to  it  as  my 
means  would  permit. 

(The  above  article  was  written  by  the  late  Ezra  Cor- 
nell for  the  first  edition  of  "The  Leghorns,"  and  being 
of  such  instructive  merit  it  is  reprinted  in  the  present 
edition.  .As  Mr.  Cornell  was  one  of  the  most  careful,  in- 
telligent and  conscientious  breeders  of  White  Leghorns 
oi  hi.s  day,  the  advice  on  the  correct  mating  of  Single 
Comb  White  Leghorns  so  clearly  presented  by  him 
should  prove  not  only  interesting  but  valuable  to  all 
breeders  of  this  popular  variety. — Editor.) 


Rose  Comb  White  Leghorns 


One  of  the  Most  Profitable   E^g  Laying  Breeds  for  the  Farmer — Chickens  Grow-  Rapidly  and   Matnre  Early. 


THE  choice  of  the  farmer  should  be  tlie  Uose  Comb 
White  Leghorns  because  the  most  profit  or  money 
in  poultry  is  in  the  breed  that  lays  the  most  eggs  at 
the  least  possible  cost,  and  this  variety  of  the  Leghorn 
family  fills  the  bill  in  this  respect. 

They  are  specially  adapted  for  the  farmer  who  has 
free  range  for  his  fowls,  as  Rose  Comb  White  Leghorns 
are  great  foragers,  picking  up  much  of  their  food  in  bugs 
and  insects,  which  cuts  down  the  feed  bill,  although  they 
are  light  eaters  in  comparison  with  other  breeds. 

As  chicks  the  Rose  Comb  White  Leghorns  will  grow 
twice  as  fast  and  will  mature  earlier  than  other  breeds. 
A  Rose  Comb  White  Leghorn  chick  at  six  weeks  old, 
will  be  completely  feathered  and  the  farmer  can  put  them 
out  on  free  range,  providing  a  colony  house  for  every  SO 
chicks,  and  at  3  months  old,  you  will  find  that  your  chicks 
have  the  broiler  size  and  can  be  sold  if  you  so  desire  at  this 
time  and  reap  some  benefit  or  profit  therefrom.  You  can 
also  distinguish  the  pullets  from  the  cockerels  and  so  this 
would  be  a  good  time  to  dispose  of  the  males  not  wanted 
for  broiler  use.  As  a  fowl  for  the  table  they  are  good, 
by  many  they  are  considered  very  good.  The  pullets  often 
begin  laying  at  S  months  old,  their  eggs  are  pure  white 
and  large  and  10  will  weigh  1  pound.  Rose  Comb  White 
Leghorn  pullets  should  weigh  not  less  than  3  pounds, 
hens  not  less  than  4  pounds,  cockerels  not  less  than  5 
pounds  and  cocks  6  pounds.  Farmers  can  realize  if  they 
were  to  sell  them  on  the  market  and  get  10  cents  per 
pound,  so  every  hen  weighing  five  pounds  would  bring 
50  cents,  which  is  not  giving  them  away.  Considering 
their  enormous  egg  yield  per  year  I  will  say  that  you  will 
have  a  good  egg  laying  strain  that  will  average  15  dozen 
eggs  per  hen  each  year  and  receive  20  cents  per  dozen, 
then  each  R.  C.  White  Leghorn  hen  will  be  worth  $3. Go 
for  her  eggs  only  and  SO  cents  for  her  carcass,  if  you 
should  want  to  sell  her  on  the  market,  so  the  actual  in- 
come of  a  R.  C.  White  Leghorn  to  a  farmer  would  be 
$3.50,  which  is  a  good  showing  and  none  of  the  heavier 
breeds  can  equal  this.  The  total  cost  of  feed  per  year 
will  be  $1.00  for  each  hen  and  the  income  $3.50,  a  net 
profit  of  $2.50  per  hen.  Their  egg  producing  qualities 
have   been  proven  in   several  egg  laying  contests. 

From  a  fancier's  standpoint,  I  think  to  breed  the  true 
Leghorn  type  in  males  and  females  and  at  the  same  time 
the  pure  white  color  in  their  plumage,  with  good  low 
square  set  spike  combs  and  bay  red  eyes,  creamy  white 
ear-lobes  and  tails  carried  at  a  good  angle  not  too  high 
nor  low,  well  spread  or  fan-like,  not  forgetting  their  egg- 
producing   qualities   is    enough    for   any   man    to    find   and 


make  some  impro\enient  every  year.  By  proper  mating 
you  can  breed  in  or  out  what  is  not  wanted.  I  will  say 
to  fanciers  of  this  breed  that  it  is  not  so  easy  to  breed 
pure   Leghorn   type   birds   that  are  white  as   some  of  our 


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ROSE   COMB   WHITE   LEGHORN  COCKEREL, 

other  fancy  poultry  friends  believe  it  is,  although  I  have 
bred  and  raised  and  sold  many  winners  of  the  blue  and 
red  and  white  ribbons,  the  past  12  years,  but  up  to  this 
day  I  have  only  seen  a  few  birds  that  were  what  I  call 
top-notchers,  and  these  are  only  a  few  out  of  many  that 
are  raised,  so  I  know  the  fancier  can  always  find  room 
for  improvement  in  this  breed,  especially  to  get  the  grand 
curves  a  typical  Rose  Comb  White  Leghorn  male  or  fe- 
male should  have.  .-\  breeder  can  always  find  a  ready  sale 
for  such  birds  every  day  in  the  year. 


Breedinil  Kosc  Comb  White  Leghorns 


IN  BREEDIXG  the  Leghorn,  as  in  any  other  breed  of 
fowls,  or  in  fact,  any  kind  of  stock,  keep  two  things 
in  view,  practical  utility  and  show  room  beauty.  I 
place  utility  iirst,  as  without  size,  strength,  and  vitality, 
you  cannot  hope  for  show  birds  that  will  reproduce  them- 
selves. Build  on  a  foundation  of  vigorous  health,  select 
as  good  specimens  otherwise  as  possible,  and  success  is 
yours. 

Do  not  start  as  cheaply  as  possible,  and  do  not  pay 
fabulous  prices  for  stock  you  know  little  or  nothing  about. 
Do   m-t   buy  indiflferent   stock   and   expect  to   breed   up  to 


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something  fine:  you  may  do  it  in  time,  but  it  will  cost  you 
more  than  to  buy  good  ones  at  the  beginning,  not  count- 
ing lost  time.  Breed  from  the  largest  stock  you  can  get. 
Always  set  the  largest  pure  white,  perfect  shaped  eggs. 
1  have  set  nothing  but  the  largest  eggs  for  years,  until 
at   the    Colorado   Springs    Poultry   Show    last   winter   the 


hall  superintendent  said  my  pen  of  R.  C.  \V.  Leghorns 
laid  the  largest  egg  of  any  bird  of  any  breed  in  the  show 
room. 

Breed  from  a  female  that  is  long  in  body,  neck,  and 
leg.  Comb  fine  and  even  on  the  head,  and  in  size  to  con- 
form to  the  rest  of  the  bird,  and  from  a  male  that  is 
compact,  with  full  breast;  tail  carried  low,  heavy  plumage, 
legs  long;  comb  and  head  the  very  best  you  can  obtain, 
as  upon  this  depends  in  great  part  the  shape  of  comb  and 
head  of  your  chicks. 

Select  the  male  first  for  shape,  second  for  color;  the 
female,  first  for  color,  second  for  shape;  but  have  both 
qualifications  as  good  in  each  as  possible. 

In  color,  either  White,  Buflf  or  Black,  select  the  bird 
with  the  best  undercolor,  other  things  being  equal,  and 
with  the  desired  color  in  the  shaft  feathers  of  tail  and 
wings. 

In  the  white  bird  look  for  a  blue  white,  not  creamy 
white,  in  the  shaft  feathers. 

Breed  from  mature  stock,  it  will  give  you  stronger 
chicks,  and  you  can  tell  before  you  use  a  bird  in  the 
breeding  yards  whether  his  or  her  color  will  stay  with 
them  after  the  molt  or  leave  them  after  the  first  year. 

Keep  a  record  of  all  stock;  then  by  knowing  just 
what  mating  produces  the  best  chicks,  you  know  where  to 
go  for  more  of  the  same  kind.  My  experience  teaches  me 
that  in  order  to  obtain  what  you  want  you  must  breed 
from  the  description  of  bird  that  suits  you. 

My  first  attempt  with  Leghorns  was  in  1893,  at  which 
time  I  had  the  S.  C.  Black  variety.  In  1894  I  produced  a 
yellow  legged,  black  hen,  the  equal  of  which  in  color  of 
legs  and  plumage  I  think  was  never  seen  outside  of  our 
stock.  She  went  through  the  show  room  year  after  year, 
always  winning  first,  up  to  the  last  Mid-Continental  show 
at  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  when  she  was  shown  with  one  of 
her  sons,  a  yellow-legged  cockerel,  each  winning  a  first 
prize  in  a  large  class. 

In  1895  I  first  exhibited  a  R.  C.  White  Leghorn,  win- 
ning extensively  at  Colorado  Springs.  The  next  year  I 
bred  from  the  same  stock  and  was  successful  in  the  show 
room.  The  next  year  I  bred  from  a  bird  that  won  as 
cockerel  and  as  cock.  Last  year  I  bred  from  birds  sired 
by  first  cock  at  Madison  Square  Garden,  New  York,  1897, 
and  again  the  produce  won. 

It  will  be  seen  that  to  breed  winners  I  bred  from  win- 
ners, and  I  never  failed.  Like  will  produce  like  the  same 
in  poultry  as  in  other  things,  and  if  your  stock  of  birds 
will  not  hatch  uniformly  you  have  mongrel  blood  some- 
where, and  the  way  to  do  is  to  find  it  by  single  mating, 
then  throw  it  out.  If  it  is  in  all  your  stock,  throw  them 
all  out,  and  buy  from  some  one  who  can  prove  to  you  that 
he  has  what  he  claims — thoroughbred  stock  that  will  pro- 
duce  its   kind. 


White  Leghorn  Breeders'  Symposium 

Changes    in   White    Leijhorn    Type  iu    the   Past  Ten    Years     Have    Improved    the    Layinfi  Qualities— The    Best 

Layers   Are   Birds  That  Come   Nearest  the   Standard    Requirements — Average   Flock  and 

Individual  Egg  Laying  Records  — H  hite  Leghorns  For  Market. 


IN  ORDER  to  get  the  views  of  successful  and  prom- 
inent breeders  of    White  Leghorns,  on    the    proper 
type    for    Standard    and    market    requirements,  the 
average  yield  of  eggs  laid  per  capita  annually,  the  cost  of 
feeding   and     marketing    the    broilers,   we    sent    a    list    of 
questions  to  leading  fanciers  in  the  East  and  West. 

The  contributors  to  this  symposium  are; 

N.  V.  Fogg   Kentucky 

W.   W.   Kulp    Pennsylvania 

Robert  Herman   (Connors  Poultry  Farm)   ....   New  York 

Huff  Poultry  Yards   Pennsylvania 

J.   C.   Punderford   : .  .  .  .    New  Jersey 

Hutchins  Brothers   New  York 

Harmon   Bradshaw    Indiana 

H.  E.  Humphrey  New  York 

George   Barrows    New  York 

Robert  D.  Parmenter   Illinois 

Harlo  J.   Fisk    New  York 

C.  W.  Sixt    Ohio 

George  B.  Ferris    Michigan 

L.   S.  Dayhoff   Pennsylvania 

E.  J.  Huber   Wisconsin 

1.  Have  the  changes  in  type  of  the  White  Leghorn 
of  ten  or  more  years  ago  been  any  improvement  towards 
increased  egg  production? 

Yes,  some  of  the  best  layers  I  have  ever  bred  were 
birds  that  came  nearest  the  Standard  requirements,  and  I 
believe  the  changes  in  type  and  shape  have  done  much  to 
improve  the  laying  qualities  of  these  birds. — N.  V.  Fogg. 

The  White  Leghorns  of  today  are  beautiful  in  shape 
and  are  far  better  for  egg  production  than  any  that  were 
bred  before,  unless  the  body  is  left  to  become  narrower. 
If  you  breed  for  good  width  across  the  back,  you  get 
room  in  the  egg-making  part.  The  better  shapes  bred  "to- 
day can  do  nothing  but  help  to  make  better  workers. — 
W.  W.  Kulp. 

I  can  see  a  vast  improvement  in  the  egg  production 
of  White  Leghorns  in  the  last  few  years. — Robert  Her- 
man (Conners  Poultry  Farm). 

As  to  my  type  of  a  laying  Leghorn,  the  change  in 
type  of  the  Leghorn  of  the  present  day  from  that  of  ten 
years  ago  is  an  improvement  toward  increasing  egg 
production. — Huff  Poultry  Yards. 

1  tiiink  the  changes  in  type  and  shape  of  Leghorns 
in  the  past  ten  years  have  made  a  large  improvement  in 
egg  production. — J.  C.  Punderford. 

The  type  and  shape  of  the  S.  C.  White  Leghorn  in 
the  last  ten  years  have  not  only  beautified  the  bird  from 
a  fancier's  standpoint,  but  have  increased  the  egg  pro- 
duction— the  increase  in  size,  the  long,  deep  body  and 
well  rounded  breast  indicating  vitality  and  vigor. — 
Hutchins  Brothers. 

Yes. — Harmon  Bradshaw. 

I  do  not  think  the  change  in  type  and  shape  of  the 
White  Leghorns  has  made  any  particular  improvement 
toward  a  larger  increase  of  eggs,  since  the  best  layers  are 
the  ones  that  are  bred  as  the  Standard  requires;  namely, 
a  long  well-arched  back,  which  makes  the  best  layers, 
in  my  opinion. — H.  E.   Humphrey. 

Indirectly,  yes.  It  has  stimulated  the  breeders  to  be 
more  thorough. — George  A.  Barrows. 

I  don't  believe  the  change  in  type  and  shape  has  had 
any  effect  on  increasing  egg-production.  That  is  my  de- 
cided opinion. — Robert  D.  Parmenter. 

Yes,  I  think  they  have. — Harlo  J.  Fisk. 

1   think  not.— C.  W.   Sixt. 

The  changes  in  shape  and  type  of  White  Leghorns 
have  had  no  effect  upon  egg  production. — George  B.  Fer- 

'  Yes.— L.  S.  Dayhoff. 


I  do  not  believe  that  the  changes  in  type  and  shape  of 
White  Leghorns  have  changed  the  egg  laying  qualities  to 
any  material  advantage. — E.  J.  Huber. 

2.  Do  you  consider  there  is  a  fixed  type  for  layers, 
and  if  so,  describe  what  important  characteristics,  as  to 
shape  and  outward  appearance,  the  ideal  layer  should 
possess. 

As  a  rule,  my  best  layers  are  birds  of  about  average 
size,  with  broad  breasts  and  backs  and  bodies  of  good 
length.  Their  combs  are  of  good  size,  but  not  too  large, 
and  their  tails  carried  about  the  same  as  required  in 
Standard. — N.   V.   Fogg. 

To  be  a  good  layer  it  is  not  absolutely  nece^^ary  that 
a  hen  be  of  a  certain  shape,  but  I  do  know  that  I  breed 
one  of  the  tmest  strains  for  eggs,  from  shape  breeding.    I 


^^  / 

1- , . 

lfe«Sip2iJ!?*  r 

"'^^ 

er.L.WHEtUERPENNVANN    N.Y 

WHTE    LEGHORN    HEN 
A  noted   winning  hen  of  excellent   exhibition   type,    show- 
ing   good    length    of    body    and    a    well    spread    tail    and    fine 
head   points.     Bred   and   exhibited   by   G.    L.    Wheeler.    Penn 
Tann,  N.  Y. 


want  them  wide  first.  It  will  give  strength  and  room 
for  the  egg  organs.  My  results,  according  to  others, 
proved  I  was  right  over  and  over  again. — W.  \\".  Kulp. 

I  have  found  a  fairly  large  bird  with  a  long  back  will 
lay  a  large  number  of  good-sized  eggs  that  command  an 
advance  over  the  market  price. — Robert  Herman. 

I  think  there  is  a  fixed  type  for  layers.  An  ideal 
layer  has:  first,  a  small  head;  second,  a  slender  neck; 
thjrd,  a  long  body,  tapering  from  back  to  front;  fourth, 
sh'ort  and  small-bonea  shanks;  fifth,  is  a  restless  and  busy 
hen.— Huff  Poultry  Yards. 

The  lengthening  of  the  pelvic  cavity  is  looked  for  as 
an  egg  type  much  the  same  as  we  look  for  a  distinct  dairy 
type  in  a  cow. — Hutchins  Brothers. 


63 


64 


THE  LEGHORNS 


Yes;  good  layers  should  have  long  bodies. — Harmon 
Bradshaw. 

If  we  oread  our  Leghorns  with  a  good  arched  back, 
wide,  full  breast,  and  wide  undersaddle,  there  will  be  no 
(luestion  as  to  their  laying  qualities,  and  they  will  be  with 
the  blue  ribbon  winners  when  placed  in  the  show  room — 
at  least  I  have  found  that  to  be  a  fact.— H.  E.  Humphrey. 

The  most  important  characteristics  for  layers  in  Leg- 
horns are:  body,  rather  deep  (especially  in  back),  also 
broad;  legs  well  apart;  comb  not  too  small;  and  the  bird 
active  and  vigorous. — George  A.   Barrows. 

I  don't  believe  in  an  "egg  type,"  as  my  long  exper- 
ience with  trap-nest  records  has  given  me  too  many  types 
with  high  records. — Robert  D.  Parmenter. 

No.— C.  W.  Sixt. 

I  do  not  consider  that  there  is  a  fixed  type  for  layers. 
The  vigorous,  active  bird — the  one  that  is  properly  grown 
—is  always  the  best  layer,  regardless  of  shape.  Yet  a 
flock  of  high-scoring  hens  will  lay  much  better,  all  con- 
litions  being  equal,  than  a  flock  not  bred  for  standard 
qualities;  not  because  their  shape  matters,  biit  because 
they  have  been  grown  properly.  Every  fancier  kno\ys 
how  quickly  overcrowding  or  neglect  in  any  form  will 
render  worthless  a  very  promising  bunch  of  youngsters. 
Consequently  every  successful  breeder  of  exhibition  birds 
watches  the  growth  of  his  stock  very  carefully  and  is 
ready  to  go  to  any  expense  to  insure  the  best  develop- 
ment of  every  chicken  on  the  place.  The  health  and  vigor 
of  the  breeding  stock  are  never  depleted  by  injudicious 
forcing  to  secure  a  record  egg  yield;  the  pullets  are 
never  urged  to  lay  before  they  are  thoroughly  matured. 
Because  of  the  good  prices  he  gets  for  his  stock  and  eggs, 
the  breeder  of  exhibition  birds  can  afford  to  give  his 
stock  better  attention  than  the  purely  utility  breeder.  He 
can  look  forward,  and  by  building  up  and  maintaining  the 
strength  and  vitality  of  his  flock,  can  secure  a  better  egg 
yield  year  after  year.  The  utility  breeder  too  often  forces  his 
hens  to  lay  more  than  they  should,  only  to  find,  as  the 
Maine  Experiment  Station  did,  that  his  flock  deteriorates 
rapidly  and  his  egg  yield  grows  steadily  less  in  spite  of 
trap  nests  and  increased  forcing.  Then  he  talks  about  the 
evils  of  inbreeding  and  must  go  to  the  breeder  who  has 
been  conserving  the  energies  of  his  flock  for  new  blood  to 
bring  his  stock  back  to  a  profitable  basis. — George  B. 
Ferris. 

I  do  not  think  there  is  a  fixed  type,  but  I  have  found 
that  a  hen  with  a  long  back,  neat  bones,  a  medium-sized 
comb  and  body,  is  best. — L.  S.  Dayhoff. 

I  do  not  believe  there  is  a  fixed  type  for  layers.  Ex- 
perience  las  taught  me  that  the  ideal   layer   should  be  a 


First  S.  C  White  Leghorn  cock  Illinois  State 
January,  1910.  This  bird  won  second  as  cockerel  at  the 
State  show  in  1909,  and  first  as  cock  at  Galesburg,  111.,  1910. 
He  is  owned  by  Robert  D.  Parmenter.  Knoxville,  111.. 
breeder  of  S.  C.  White  Leghorns  exclusively. 


WHITE   LEGHORN  COCKEREL 


cockerel  at  Springfield,  111.,  and  Galesburg,  111.,  1910.  A 
rarely  good  picture  of  a  most  symmetrical  and  stylish  White 
Leghorn  male.  The  fashionable  low  carriage  of  the  tail 
and  long  sloping  back  are  admirably  portrayed.  This  bird 
was  bred  and  exhibited  by  Robert  D.  Parmenter,  Knoxville, 
Illinois. 


worker,  and  of  course  to  work  she  must  be  kept  in  the 
best  of  condition  at  all  times.  By  a  "worker"  I  mean 
that  she  must  be  continually  stratching,  and  on  the  look- 
out for  feeding  time.  A  lazy  hen — one  that  sits  around  a 
good  deal  and  only  wakes  up  to  life  when  she  hears  the 
feed  pail  rattle — never  will  make  a  good  layer. — E.  J. 
Huber. 

3.  What  has  been  your  average  yield  for  a  flock? 
184  eggs  has  been  my  best  average  egg  yield  from  a 

flock  of  200  hens.— N.  V.  Fogg. 

I  have  never  been  able  to  count  a  flock  of  Whites  for 
a  full  year.     Browns,  242.— W.  W.  Kulp. 

We  run  Leghorns  in  flocks  of  350  birds.  Egg  yield 
for  flock  will  run  from  180  to  200  eggs.— Robert  Herman. 

I  had  a  flock  of  seven  laying  hens  last  year  that  laid 
1,394  eggs,  but  I  could  not  tell  which  hen  laid  the  most 
eggs.  That  was  the  best  laying  I  ever  had. — Huff  Poultry 
Yards. 

Fifty  per  cent. — J.  C.  Punderford. 

The  average  yield  for  our  large  flocks  has  never  ex- 
ceeded 150  eggs  per  hen,  while  individual  hens  have  ex- 
ceeded that. — Hutchins  Brothers. 

Have  not  been  able  to  keep  record  for  a  year  on  ac- 
count of  selling  so  many  of  the  females. — Harmon  Brad- 
shaw. 

As  my  flock  has  averaged  over  60  per  cent,  for  the 
whole  year,  and  as  I  breed  for  utility  as  well  as  for  exhi- 
liition  purposes,  I  have  hens  that  have  laid  175  eggs  in  12 
months. — H.   E.  Humphrey. 

1  am  breeding  fancy  and  unable  to  keep  complete 
yearly  record.  My  best  record  for  16  hens,  for  four 
months,  is  105  eggs  each.  The  hens  that  were  not  sold 
(lut  of  this  pen,  laid  extra  well  during  the  whole  year. — 
George  A.  Barrows. 

180  eggs  per  hen  a  year. — Robert  D.   Parmenter. 

146  eggs  from  12  hens  in  10  months'  test,  and  some 
<<i  them  were  in  shows  during  the  10  months.  Never  made 
hut  the  one  test. — Harlo  J.  Fisk. 

Ten  hens  laid  1,850  eggs  in  one  year. — C.  W.  Sixt. 

The  average  egg  yield  of  my  entire  flock  is  from  ISO 
t  1  160  eggs  per  year. — George  B.  Ferris. 

Fifteen  dozen  in  twelve  months. — L.  S.  Dayhoff. 

Our  average  yield  for  a  flock  has  averaged  170,  and 
we  have  no  doubt  that  many  individual  hens  will  average 
200  and  better.— E.  J.  Huber. 

4.  What  has  been  the  best  record  made  by  any  indi- 
\i(htal  specimen? 


THE  LEGHORNS 


208  eggs  per  year.  S.  C.  Buff  Leghorn.— J  .C. 
Punderford. 

I  have  sonie  individual  hens  that  averaged  28  eggs 
each  for  the  months  of  March,  April  and  May,  but  I 
found  that  their  eggs  did  not  hatch  as  well  as  those  that 
laid  less. — H.  E.   Humphrey. 

212  eggs,  but  could  not  get  a  fertile  egg  from  this 
bird,  and  am  positive  that  the  male  bird  was  not  at  fault. 
She  laid  a  large,  misshapen  egg. — Robert  D.  Parmenter. 

S.  Do  you  consider  it  advisable  to  use  trap  nests  and 
practice  pedigree  breeding,  as  a  means  of  improving  lay- 
ing qualities? 

I  do  not  consider  it  profitable  to  use  the  ^rap  nests 
and  practice  pedigree  breeding  on  a  large  poultry  farm. 
Whether  it  is  successful  in  any  event,  as  a  method  of 
improving  laying  qualities,  I  am  not  prepared  to  say,  as 
my  experience  in  this  line  has  been  limited.  It  cannot 
be  used  on  a  large  scale  without  a  good  deal  of  time  and 
expense,  and  I  have  never  seen  any  reports  that  show  it 
is  profitable  to  use  it  on  a  large  scale.  However,  there 
may  be  some  who  breed  only  a  small  flock,  that  have 
been  able  to  improve  their  bird's  laying  qualities  to  some 
extent.  Those  who  breed  only  a  few  birds  have  a  chance 
to  get  the  poor  layers  out  of  their  flock  by  this  method, 
and  therefore  increase  their  profit.  I  notice  in  a  report 
from  one  Experiment  Station  that,  after  ten  years  of  care- 
ful work  in  this  line,  the  average  egg  yield  at  the  end  of 
the  experiment,  instead  of  increasing,  has  decreased  23 
eggs  per  hen.  In  this  case  it  is  a  losing  proposition  in 
more  ways  than  one. — N.  V.  Fogg. 

The  trap  nest  is  a  fine  thing,  but  it  is  not  absolutely 
necessary  to  breed  a  flock  of  the  best  layers. — W.  W. 
Kulp. 

I  believe  a  commercial  plant  does  not  have  the  time 
for  this  kind  of  work. — Robert  Herman. 

1  think  the  trap  nest  is  advisable,  as  well  as  the  prac- 


FIKST  PRlltCKRL-    GRAND    RAPID5  MICH- 1910. 

BREb    ANb    OVVtSEC)    BV 

FERRIS  POULTRY  FARM      GRAND  RAPIDS  MICH- 


TYPICAL  EKHIBITIOISSCWHITE  LEGHORN  PULLET 
BREb  AHfi   OWMEb   BY 

FERRIS  POULTRY  FARM       GRAND  RAPIDS  MICH 


Leghorn  male  showing  exceptionally  good  head  points,  the 
comb  being  almost  ideal  in  shape.  The  tail  is  well  furnished 
and  carried  at  the  required  Standard  angle. 


The  pullet  illustrated  above  is  the  winner  of  first  prize 
at  the  Michigan  State  Fair  and  at  Grand  Rapids,  Mich  1910. 
She  combines  in  a  rare  degree,  superior  exhibition  type  with 
the  necessary  utilitarian  qualities.  The  length  of  body  and 
well  spread  tail  carried  at  the  proper  angle  are  well  por- 
trayed in  the  above  picture. 


tice  for  pedigree  breeding,  for  by  so  doing  one  can  always 
Ijreed  from  the  best  laying  birds. — Hufif  Poultry  Yards. 

Yes.— J.  C.  Punderford. 

The  trap  nest  is  a  step  in  the  right  direction,  but 
cases  are  very  rare  where  a  200  egg  hen  has  reproduced 
herself  in  her  offspring.  The  200  egg  hen  is  yet  a  prodigy 
like  the  extremely  high  record  dairy  cow.  Feeding  and 
environment  must  accompany  the  trap  nesting. — Hutchins 
Brothers. 

Yes,  by  all  means. — Harmon   Bradshaw. 

I  consider  it  a  good  plan  to  use  trapnests,  but  at  the 
same  time  this  pedigree  breeding  proves  unsatisfactory, 
as  all  prolific  layers  do  not  always  produce  good  layers. 
My  method  is  to  select  strong,  vigorous  females  that  are 
as  near  the  Standard  as  to  shape  as  I  can  select  in  my 
judgment  and  mate  them  to  a  male  that  has  good  points 
in  all  sections;  and  in  most  cases  I  will  be  satisfied  with 
the  results. — H.  E.  Humphrey. 

Not  with  Leghorns  if  extra  help  is  required  to  tend 
them. — George  A.   Barrows. 

I  most  certainly  do,  though  a  high  record  bird  will 
not  always  breed  birds  of  still  better  laying  qualities.  A 
bird  must  have  the  power  of  transmission. — Robt.  D.  Par- 
menter. 

Yes,  indeed. — Harlo  J.  Fisk. 

We  do  not  use  them. — C.  W.  Sixt. 

No. — George  B.  Ferris. 

Yes.— L.  S.  Dayhoff. 

We  believe  that  to  build  up  a  heavy  laying  strain,  the 
'trap  nest  system  is  the  only  reliable  one,  and  we  would 
advise  anyone  not  satisfied  with  their  average  flock 
records,  to  install  trap-nests  and  in  this  way  find  out 
which  are  the  best  layers  and  which  are  the  drones.    After 


6G 


THE   LEGHORNS 


he.  has  found  out  his  best  layers,  he  should  breed  from 
these  birds  from  time  to  time,  and  the  continuation  of 
trap-nests  for  four  or  five  years  will  work  wonders. — E. 
J.  Huber. 

6.  (a)  Is  it  profitable  to  produce  Leghorns  as  broil- 
ers?    (b)  as  fryers?      (c)  as  small  roasters? 

(a)  Yes,  they  are  very  attractive  broilers  and  will 
make  as  much  profit  as  any  other  breed  I  have  tried,  (b) 
Yes,  they  are  fine  flavored  and  make  a  fine  market  bird 
up  to  two  pounds. — N.  V.  Fogg. 

It  is  profitable  to  produce  Leghorns  as  broilers.  I 
had  a  customer  in  Canada  hatch  Wyandottes  and  Leg- 
horns at  the  same  time,  and  the  Leghorns  brought  more 
than  the  Wyandottes  at  the  same  age.  I  prefer  a  cross 
of  the  Leghorn  on  a  large  breed,  for  broilers — and  espe- 
cially for  fryers.  For  roasters  I  would  use  a  larger 
chicken.— W.  W.  Kulp. 

Our  trade  demands  a  Leghorn  broiler — both  squab 
and  larger  size.  They  are  no  good  for  fryers  or  roast- 
ers.— Robert  Herman. 

There   is  a  small  profit   in   Leghorns   for  broilers   or 


WHITE     LEGHORN     PULLET 

The  illustration  above  was  reproduced  from  an  unretouched  photograpli 

of  the  first  prize  pullet  at  Chicago  and  Indianapolis.     Although  the  poise  of 

the  bird  in  the  picture  is  not_very  good,  low  carried  tail  and  tine  head  points 

pullet   was   bred   and   exhibited   by    Harmon 


fryers,  but  I  think  it  is  time  and  money  lost  to  raise  them 
for  roasters. — Huff  Poultry  Yards. 

(a)  Yes.  (b)  and  (c) — Have  never  done  so,  but 
should  say  not. — J.  C.  Punderford. 

Leghorns  are  not  so  profitable  as  formerly  for  broil- 
ers on  account  of  the  advance  in  the  price  of  feed.  If 
good  hatches  can  be  obtained,  the  early  cockerels  are 
profitable  for  broilers;  but  the  pullets  will  bring  more  for 
stock.  Some  of  our  local  dealers  advertise  not  to  bring 
White  Leghorns  at  all  as  broilers.  They  develop  very 
rapidly  for  fryers  or  roasters. — Hutchins  Brothers. 

I  believe  it  is,  but  have  not  been  able  to  keep  enough 
birds  to  give  it  a  test.  Hope  to  be  able  to  do  so  within 
the  next  year  or  two. — -Harmon   Bradshaw. 

No  doubt  there  is  money  in  Leghorn  broilers  and 
fryers,  providing  you  are  near  a  good  market;  but  as  to 
roasters,  they  are  too  small  and  they  require  too  much 
feed  for  the  money  that  you  would  get  from  the  invest- 
ment. A  Leghorn  should  be  about  six  weeks  old  and 
weigh  at  least  two  pounds,  which  would  bring  from  $1.00 
to  $1.25  per  pair. — H.  E.  Humphrey. 

No  experience  with  Leghorns  in  this  respect. — 
George  A.  Barrows. 

(a)  Yes.  (b)  Yes.  (c)  Not  in  my  experience. — 
Robert  D.  Parmenter. 

(a)  Yes.  (b)  Do  not  think  so.  (c)  Do  not  think 
so. — Harlo  J.  Fisk. 

(a)     Yes.       (b)     Yes.     (c)     Yes.— C.   W.   Sixt. 

(a)  Yes,  in  the  early  spring.  (b)  Yes.  (c)  No. 
— L.  S.  Dayhoff. 


In  a  coinmunity  that  prefers  small,  one  or  one  and 
one-quarter  pound  broilers  Leghorns  will  prove  to  be  one 
of  the  best  articles  in  the  line  of  broilers.  They  are  tender, 
juicy,  and  their  nice  yellow  skin  gives  them  an  appear- 
ance that  "makes  your  mouth  water."  We  confidently  be- 
lieve that  where  Leghorns  are  raised  on  free  range,  they 
will  make  very  profitable  broilers,  as"  they  will  need  very 
little  feed,  being  such  great  rangers. — E.  J.  Huber. 

7.  At  what  age  and  weight  are  Leghorn  broilers 
most  profitable  and  what  is  the  average  price  a  pair  in 
the  best  wholesale  and  retail  centers? 

From  seven  to  twelve  weeks  old  when  they  should 
weigh  from  one  to  two  pounds  each.  Much  depends  on 
the  way  the  birds  are  fed  and  cared  for,  as  to  how  soon 
they  will  be  ready  for  market.  In  this  section  in  the 
larger  cities  fine,  fat  birds,  weighing  from  one  to  two 
pounds  each,  retail  from  $.50  to  $1.50  per  pair,  according 
to  the  season. — -N.  V.  Fogg. 

We  sell  in  the  Philadelphia  markets  and  they  require 
them  from  one  and  a  little  more  to  one  and  a  half  pounds, 
bringing  about  sixty  cents  each. — W.  W.  Kulp. 

We  use  Leghorn  broilers  for  s_quab5  ^  to 
1  pound  each.  Price,  wholesale,  75c  to  $1.15 
per  pair.  Larger  broilers,  lyi  pounds  to  1J4 
pounds  each.  Price  $1.00  to  $1.25  a  pair. — 
Robert  Herman. 

At  from  10  to  12  weeks  they  will  weigh 
from  -J4  to  2^4  pounds.  My  home  market  pays 
me  in  the  early  spring,  from  30  to  40  cents  per 
pound,  but  there  are  markets  that  do  better 
than  this. — Huff  Poultry  Yards. 

Leghorn  broilers  at  eight  weeks  old,  at 
1J4  to  2  pounds,  bring  in  our  wholesale  and 
retail  centers,  75  cents  to  25  cents  apiece. — M. 
L.  Hutchins. 

A  Leghorn  should  be  about  six  weeks  old 
and  weigh  at  least  two  pounds,  which  would 
bring  from  $1.00  to  $1.25  per  pair.— H.  E. 
Humphrey. 

At  1 5^  to  2  pounds  for  either  broilers  or 
fryers,  provided  birds  have  made  proper 
growth.  About  ten  weeks  old. — Robert  D. 
Parmenter. 

At  1  and  1}4  pounds.  From  SO  cents  to 
75  cents  per  pair,  according  to  season. — Harlo 
J.  Fisk. 

1%  to  lJ/2  pounds  each;  price  according  to 
quality — from  70  cents  to  $1.25  per  pair;  age, 
from  10  to  14  weeks.— L.  S.  Dayhoff. 

They  can  be  made  to  return  a  handsome 
profit  as  fryers  and  small  roasters,  and  for  a 
family  of  two  or  three  a  nice  plump  Leghorn 
roaster  weighing  from   two   to   two  and   one- 
half  pounds  is  very  desirable.  Leghorn  broilers 
are    most   profitable   when    about    three    months    old.      In 
this  district  they  will  sell  from  $1.00  to  $1.50  a  pair.— E. 
J.  Huber. 

8.  What  does  it  cost  to  keep  a  Leghorn  hen  per 
year? 

It  costs  from  $1.00  to  $1.10  per  year  to  feed  a  hen 
properly  in  this  section  of  the  country  at  the  present 
prices  of  feed. — N.  V.  Fogg. 

I  don't  know,  but  I  should  judge  that  it  costs  me  $1.80 
each.— W.  W.  Kulp. 

$1.00  will  keep  a  Leghorn  hen  in  clover  for  a  year. 
My  birds  average  me  about  87  cents  each,  as  I  cut  all  my 
own  bone  and  I  get  it  at  the  market  for  nothing. — Huff 
Poultry  Yards. 

About  $1.10  a  year.— J.   C.   Punderford. 

It  costs  from  $1.00  to  $1.10  a  year  to  keep  a  Leghorn 
hen  a  year.  It  costs  just  as  much  to  keep  a  Leghorn  hen 
as  the  heavier  breeds,  after  they  are  grown. — Hutchins 
Brothers. 

If  I  can  keep  a  Leghorn  hen  for  $1.25  a  year  I  am 
perfectly  satisfied.  Taking  into  consideration  the  price 
of  grain  at  present,  I  do  not  think  I  am  very  far  from  the 
cost,  providing  all  and  what  is  required  is  fed. — H.  E. 
Humphrey. 

About  $1.20,  if  given  good  range. — George  .\.  Bar- 
rows. 

At  price  of  feed  now  it  costs  $1.50,  though  it  can  be 
done  a  trifle  cheaper. — Robert  D.  Parmenter. 

From  $1.00  to  $1.35  according  to  cost  of  feed.— Harlo 
J.  Fisk. 


THE   LEGHORNS 


67 


Seventy  cents. — C.  W.  Sixt. 

For  feed,  100  pounds  each — and  the  sort  of  feed  will 
make  price  per  hen. — L.  S.  Dayhoff. 

Our  Leghorn  hens  cost  us  between  $1.00  and  $1.20 
per  year — never  under  $1.00  and  very  seldom  over  $1.20, 
but  of  course  we  raise  a  good  many  different  kinds  of 
vegetables,  which  we  do  not  credit  against  the  birds. — E. 
J.    Huber. 

9.  How  many  hens  can  be  kept  in  one  flock  and  give 
the  best  results  in  egg  production? 

I  have  had  better  results  from  fifty  hens  in  one  flock, 
for  egg  production,  than  a  larger  number,  although  at 
different  times  during  my  experience  with  layers  I  have 
had  as  many  as  ISO  hens  in  one  flock  and  still  received 
good  results,  but  not  so  good  as 
when  not  over  50  were  kept  in 
one  flock.— N.  V.  Fogg. 

I  don't  know,  but  I  think  I 
should  like  fifteen  best — from  fif- 
teen to  twenty-five. — W.  VV. 
Kulp. 

We  find  a  flock  of  350  birds 
will  lav  as  many  eggs  per  hen  as 
a  flock  of  50  birds.— Robert  Her- 

For  the  very  best  results  I 
never  keep  over  eight  or  ten 
hens  in  a  flock — mostly  eight. — 
Huft'   Poultry  Yards. 

I  have  found  that  45  females 
will  give  better  results  than  a 
larger  number.  They  will  not 
crowd  so  much  at  night  and  are 
easier  to  care  for. — J.  C.  Punder- 
ford. 

Few  men  can  keep  more 
than  100  hens  in  one  flock  and 
get  the  best  results;  and  then 
they  must  have  plenty  of  fresh 
air  and  free  range. — Hutchins 
Brothers. 

.Miout  50  or  60.— Harmon 
Brad^haw. 

I  think  25  hens  a  sufficient 
number  to  keep  in  one  flock  for 
best  results,  but  some  breeders 
think  the  larger  the  flock,  the 
mo.  e  eggs  you  will  get.  This  has 
not  been  the  case  with  me  at 
least. — -H.   E.  Humphrey. 

Ten  to  fifteen. — George  A. 
Barrows. 

Twenty-five  to  thirty — no 
more. — Robert  D.  Parmenter. 

Twenty-five  hens  give  the  best  results,  but  flocks  of 
100  do  well  under  the  same  systems  of  feeding.— Harlo  J. 
Fisk. 

Thirty  to  fifty.— C.  W.  Sixt. 

Not  to  exceed  100;  less  if  convenient. — George  B. 
Ferris. 

Not  over  50  hens.— L.  S.  Dayhoff. 

We  never  exceed  fifteen  hens  in  a  flock  for  good  re- 
sults in  egg  production. — E.  J.  Huber. 

10.  Do  yoii  consider  it  advisable  to  remove  males 
from  flocks  kept  solely  for  the  production  of  fancy  market 
eggs? 

Yes,  I  believe  the  birds  will  lay  as  well.  The  eggs 
will  be  of  finer  quality,  will  keep  longer,  and  the  feed  con- 
sumed by  the  males  will  be  saved. — N.  V.  Fogg. 

I  should  remove  males  if  I  were  producing  fancy 
market  eggs. — W.  W.  Kulp. 

I  do  not  run  males  with  flock  kept  for  market  eggs. 
They  do  better  work  without  and  you  do  not  have  the 
extra  birds  to  feed. — Robert  Herman. 

I  do,  as  the  eggs  not  fertilized  will  keep  fresh  longer 
(a  strictly  fresh  egg  is  an  egg  one  day  old). — Huff  Poul- 
try Yards. 

I  do.  In  the  first  place  an  infertile  egg  will  keep 
longer  than  a  fertile  one;  second,  the  females  are  not 
worried  and  kept  on  the  jump. — J.  C.  Punderford. 

Too  much  care  cannot  be  taken  in  the  selection  of 
our  males.     I  would  not  select  a  male  from  a  flock  kept 


WHITE  LEGHORN  COCK  "BOB  HI" 
One  of  the  most  successful  winners  in  the 
West  is  the  White  Leghorn  cocli  illustrated 
above.  In  1906  he  won  first  at  Chicago,  Indian- 
apolis and  Thorntown;  in  1907  he  captured  the 
blue  ribbon  at  Indianapolis  and  won  second  at 
Boston;  in  IIWS  he  again  captured  first  at  In- 
dianapolis. This  bird  is  owne' 
ited  by  Harmon  Bradshaw,  L( 


solely  for  egg  production  any  more  than  I  would  from 
one  solely  from  a  fancy  point  of  view.  The  type  makes 
and  preserves  the  breed;  the  hen  that  lays  is  the  hen  that 
pays. — Hutchins    Brothers. 

Yes.  I  believe  the  hens  will  lay  just  as  well  or  bet- 
ter, and  the  eggs  will  keep  fresh  much  better. — Harmon 
Bradshaw. 

With  no  exception,  I  think  it  best  to  have  no  males 
with  hens  unless  you  want  the  eggs  for  incubation,  from 
the  fact  that  an  infertile  egg  will  keep  longer,  and  also 
that  you  will  not  supply  the  whole  country  with  eggs 
for  hatching,  to  parties  who  would  not  give  more  than 
the  market  price  for  any  eggs,  whether  they  were  laid 
by  a  hen  valued  at  $1.00  or  $10.00  each.— H.  E.  Humphrey. 
.\'ot  entirely. — George  A.  Barrows. 

Females  are  more  contented 
with  a  male  in  the  flock,  and  a 
male  to  twenty  or  thirty  females 
vviU  not  hurt  market  value  of 
eggs  materially. — Robert  D.  Par- 
menter. 

Yes.— Harlo  J.  Fisk. 
Yes.— C.  W.  Sixt. 
Yes. — George    B.   Ferris. 
Yes.— L.  S.   Dayhoff. 
We  think  it   advisable  to  re- 
move    males     from     flocks     kept 
solely  for    egg  production,  as  in- 
fertile eggs  will  keep  a  good  deal 
longer  than    a  fertile  egg. — E.  J. 
Huber. 

11.  Will  feeding  yellow  corn 
affect  color  of  white  plumage? 
Why  and  how? 

Yes,  I  have  made  several  ex- 
periments in  feeding  white  and 
yellow  corn  to  birds;  taking 
birds  all  hatched  in  the  same  ma- 
chine, dividing  them  into  two 
lots  and  feeding  both  lots  the 
same  feed  in  every  way,  with  the 
exception  of  corn,  giving  one  lot 
yellow  and  the  other  white.  At 
maturity  many  of  the  birds  fed 
on  yellow  corn  had  a  very  brassy 
plumage  and  others  were  very 
creamy.  The  lot  fed  on  white 
corn  had  a  fine  white  plumage 
and  their  legs  and  beaks  were  a 
rich  yellow.  Have  tried  the  ex- 
periment on  old  birds  several 
times  and  have  come  to  the  con- 
clusion that  feeding  yellow  corn 
to  white  birds  has  much  to  do 
with  their  color.  I  would  not 
advise  any  one  to  feed  yellow  corn  to  white  birds  under 
any  circumstances,  unless  he  expects  to  sell  them  for  mar- 
ket purposes.  I  prefer  yellow  corn  for  feeding  market 
birds.— N.  V.  Fogg. 

I  never  could  see  that  it  made  a  mite  of  difference 
whether  corn  be  yellow  or  white.  I  saw  five  males  the 
other  day  and  one  got  yellow  eating  the  same  brand  of 
corn  the  four  that  were  white  had  eaten.  It  is  in  the  blood. 
Don't  blame  it  on  the  feed  if  you  missed  it.  There  are 
much  more  potent  agencies  than  yellow  corn  to  make  or 
produce  yellow.  One  is  lack  of  sunshine  after  September 
15th.— W.  W.  Kulp. 

It  will,  but  we  always  feed  yellow  corn  to  Leghorns 
kept  for  market  eggs. — Robert  Herman. 

I  do  not  think  the  feeding  of  yellow  corn  affects 
plumage  in  the  least.  I  once  fed  a  flock  of  Leghorns  yel- 
low corn,  and  a  flock  in  the  next  pen — white  corn.  There 
were  ten  hens  in  each  flock;  at  the  end  of  the  year  the 
one  pen  of  birds  was  as  white  as  the  other. — Huff  Poultry 
Yards. 

I  think  yellow  corn  will  affect  white  plumage  in  a 
small  way.  It  is  apt  to  give  a  yellowish  tinge  to  the 
feathers. — J.  C.  Punderford. 

We  are  positive  the  feed  has  no  influence  on  the 
plumage  of  a  bird.  It  is  in  the  blood  and  not  in  the  feed. 
Breed  white  and  you  get  white. — Hutchins  Brothers. 

Yellow  corn  has  no  effect  on  the  plumage  of  white 
birds,  unless,  at  the  time  they  are  getting  their  second 
feathers,  it  might  affect  the  surface;  but  when  the  bird  is 


Indiar 


(18 


THE   LEGHORNS 


matured  and  the  sap  has  disappeared  from  the  quills— 
which  it  will  do,  if  the  bird  is  white— the  color  of  the 
plumage  will  not  be  affected  by  the  feeding  of  yellow 
corn. — H.  E.  Humphrey. 

Yellow  corn  will  affect  the  white    plumage    on  most 
birds  by  giving  it   a   creamy   or   straw   color,   but   I   have 


"BROOKSIDE  CHIEF" 
!  FiRST  PR)ZE  C'K'R'L.  MISSOURI  STATE  SHOW  5EG-'oa 
Bred&Ov^ntLd  By  BROORSIDE  POULTRY  FARM 
NURSERY  MO.. 


Wl 


-Hghori 


we 


ited  above  stands  a  very  good  chance  of  win- 
ning in  the  strongest  competition.  While  the  comb  of  this 
bird  is  rather  large  and  approaching  the  Minorca  type  ot 
comb,  the  head,  lobes  and  wattles  are  well  balanced;  the 
neck,  back  and  tail  outline  is  characteristic  of  the  modern 
type  Leghorn;  the  tail  is  well  spread  and  carried  at  an 
angle   that   harmonizes   with   the   rest  of  the   body   sections. 


had  some  birds  that  it  would  not  hurt  at  all. — -Harmon 
Bradshaw. 

Yellow  corn  will  certainly  give  white  plumage  a 
creamy  tinge,  if  fed  during  the  moulting  season,  espe- 
cially.— George  A.   Barrows. 

Yellow  corn  will  "cream"  all  pullets  and  "brass"  the 
cockerels.  It  will  even  change  the  blue-pink  skin  of  a 
pure  white  bird  and  make  it  yellow.  As  to  why  and  how 
I  have  my  theories;  let  someone  else'ans^i-er. —  Robert  I). 
Parmenter. 

Cannot  say  personally. — Harln  T.  Fisk 


It  will  to  some  extent  if  fed  while  feathers  are  grow- 
ing— Ijut  not  much. — C.  W.  Sixt. 

It  is  my  experience  that  it  will.  There  are  some  birds 
so  white  that  a  diet  comprised  largely  of  yellow  corn  will 
leave  them  reasonably  white;  but  even  these  birds  vvould 
be  whiter  without  the  corn.  There  are  others  that,  if  fed 
much  on  corn,  will  be  decidedly  creamy — so  much  so  that 
they  are  ruined  for  exhibition;  yet,  if  raised  on  other 
grains,  they  would  be  exhibition  birds  of  the  finest 
quality.  The  bird  that  can  stand  corn  without  becoming 
creamy  is  really  a  white-skinned  one  that  will  never  make 
a  prime  market  chicken.  A  yellow-skinned  bird  kept 
white  by  judicious  feeding  is  much  more  valuable  because 
It  is  easily  fattened  when  desired. — George  B.  Ferris. 

Yes,  this  is  a  settled  fact,  and  I  will  not  give  the  rea- 
son. Will  it  make  an  egg  yolk  yellow?  Yes. — L.  S.  Day- 
hoff. 

We  believe  that  the  feeding  of  yellow  corn  affects 
only  the  oil  in  the  quills,  having  a  tendency  to  make  the 
quills  oily  and  creamy.  Yellow  corn  does  not  further  af- 
fect the  olumage.  Creamy  plumage  and  brassiness  are  in 
the  breeding  of  the  bird,  and  are  not  the  result  of  what  il 
is  fed  on.  We  do  not,  for  an  instant,  tolerate  a  brassj 
bird  on  our  farm. — E.  J.  Huber. 

That  breeders  of  White  Leghorns  are  not  a  unit  on  a 
number  of  the  subjects  discussed  in  the  above  symposium 
is  readily  perceived,  but  the  points  brought  out  pro  and 
con  will  prove  valuable,  instructive  and  lead  to  a  more 
thorough  investigation  of  some  of  the  problems  that  have 
not  been  satisfactorily  solved  up  to  the  present  time. 

One  of  these  is  the  effect  the  feeding  of  yellow  corn 
has  on  the  plumage  of  white  fowl.  Until  more  thorough 
tests  in  feeding  white  and  yellow  corn  to  selected  pens  of 
white  fowl  are  made,  and  these  tests  are  carried  on  for  a 
period  of  years,  breeders  will  continue  to  differ  in  their 
views  on  this  subject.  Personally  we  have  always  con- 
sidered real  silvery  white  plumaged  fowl  immune,  believ- 
ing the  color  of  the  grain  fed  to  such  in  no  way  affected 
the  color  of  their  plumage. 

That  the  majority  of  Leghorn  breeders  agree  on  the 
1  mg  bodied  bird  as  the  best  layer  is  evident  after  reading 
the  answers  to  question  No.  2;  neither  are  they  very  far 
apart  on  the  average  egg  yield  per  annum  per  capita  of 
a  flock  of  White  Leghorn  hens.  While  a  few  individual 
records  show  layers  that  produced  over  200  eggs  in  one 
year,  the  yield  can  safely  be  placed  at  fifty  per  cent  or 
182  eggs  for  the  highest  and  ISO  eggs  for  the  average 
flock.  200  egg  hens  are  evidently  not  in  sight  yet,  at  least 
■hot  in  large  flocks  of  Leghorns. 

A  White  Leghorn  hen  that  lays  12  dozen  eggs  in 
twelve  months  is  a  very  profitable  producer,  if  the  figures 
giving  the  cost  of  maintenance  for  the  year  are  correct. 
As  $1.00  to  |1.S0  is  given  as  the  cost  of  the  grain  and 
other  food  a  White  Leghorn  hen  consumes  in  365  days, 
it  needs  only  IZyz  cents  a  dozen  for  the  eggs  to  balance 
the  feed  bill.  With  White  Leghorn  eggs  averaging  25 
cents  a  dozen,  a  gross  profit  of  I2y2  cents  a'  dozen  can  be 
realized.  What  the  cost  of  labor,  interest  on  the  invest- 
ment and  other  items  of  expense  amount  to  depends  on 
the  poultry  raiser,  but  he  has  a  very  safe  margin  in  the 
12'/<  cents  profit  to  work  on. 


Group    1:— Nos.    1.    2   and    3   are   birds    illustrating    the  stilted  type  of  t 
No.  3  has  a  short,  sloping  back  with  high  contracted  tail.     No.  4   is   a    Bosto 
body  with   full   breast   and   a   tail   carried   a   trifle  above   49  degrees, 
that  were  spoiled  in  conditioning. 


years  ago.     No.  2  has  a  long  but  flat  back. 

■inning  cockerel   of  1903  with   a  nearly   level 

5   has   a   low   tail   and   long  sickles   and   hangers 


White  Leghorn  Bodies,  Tails  and  Le^s 

Illustrations  That  Show  the  Improvement  That  Has   Been  Wrought  in    the  Shape  of  White 
Leghorns   During  the  Past  Years. 

Franklane  L.  Sewell 


Leghorn  import 
ed  by  August  D 
.\  r  n  o  1  d.  Dills 
burg,    Pa.,    1S94. 


They   are  the 


<=?       NTERNATION.^LLY    popular     is     the 
H  Leghorn,    because   of   its   record   as   an 

vWv     J  egg  producer,  therefore  the   subject  of 

mE^    I  the  iinprovement  of  this  race  of  fowls 

^.TS    I  is    of    constant    in'erest    to    the    pro- 

■t^i  I  gressive   breeders  of  them. 

^"■*(J  The    short-sighted    man    may    say, 

<.ori  nf  H„ff  "So  >o"g  as  I  get  eggs  a-plenty,  why 
trouble  about  the  looks  of  the  birds  that 
lay  them,"  but  breeders  of  Standard- 
bred  fowls  do  not  take  that  view  of  the 
matter.  They  have  learned  that  there  are  types  from 
which  we  can  expect  the  greatest  number  of  eggs.  Fan- 
ciers have  found  that  it  is  well  to  select  birds  that  ap- 
proach the  accepted  standards  which  are  ideals  that  have 
become  established  because  they  have  proved  to  be  in 
harmony  with  the  most  highly  developed  individuals  of 
the  breed  they  represent. 

Leghorns  are  not  bred  to  great 
"little  Italians."  It  is  their  nature  to 
be  active,  busy,  constantly  foraging. 
In  shape  they  are  a  combination  of 
the  most  graceful  lines  found  in  do- 
mestic fowls.  The  last  ten  years  of 
Leghorn  history  have  been  especially 
interesting  to  fanciers  who  have  wit- 
nessed the  progress  in  their  ideals 
brought  about  by  the  selections  of  en-, 
thusiasts  who  have  been  ambitious  t.j 
further  improve  and  beautify  this  al- 
ready charming  race. 

Fanciers  and  judges  decided 
sonic'ten  years  ago  that  loiiger'bodies 
would  add  to  the  value  of  the  breed. 
Long  bodies  at  that  time  were  almost 
unheard  of,  excepting  in  'individuals 
of  the  coarser  type  arttl  these  too 
often  possessed  the  flat  form  of  back. 
The  production  of  longer  bodies  and 
backs  with  a  graceful  concave  sweep 
from  the  shoulder^  put  on  the 
tail,   together  with   th«  much   desired 


No  6— A  White  Leghorn  cock,  wii 
ler  at  an  English  show  in  1905.  He  r 
embles  a  Minorca  in  shape,  having 
ong  body,  -with  rather  low  tail,  bi 
le  is  very  coarse  and  angular. 


lower  carriage  of  tail  and  long  saddle  and  tail  covert  plum- 
age with  all  sections  in  agreeable  proportion,  has  not 
proven  easy  to  accomplish,  nor  have  birds  possessing 
these  qualities  been  exhibited  by  many. 

A  good  length  of  body  is  considered  by  practical 
minded  breeders  as  essential  for  the  Leghorn  that  is  to 
be  an  egg  machine.  Fanciers  demand  that  the  show  Leg- 
horn shall  be  not  only  practical  but  beautiful  and  they  are 
succeeding  in  a  wonderful  degree  in  establishing  this 
happy  combination  of  qualities  in  their  favorites. 

In  1899  it  was  possible  to  win  first  place  with  such  a 
short  backed,  high  tailed  cock  as  No.  3  of  group  1.  On 
this  Madison  Square  Garden  winner  the  tail  was  not  only 
high,  but  much  too  closely  held  and  his  back  was  not  only 
short  and  sloping  but  narrow  at  its  juncture  with  tail. 
Comparing  his  breast  with  that  on  the  next  one  in  the 
group.  No.  4,  it  will  be  seen  that  it  was  far  from  being  full 
as  a  good  Leghorn's  breast  should  be.  The  first  three 
cockerels  in  group  1  appear  somewhat  stilted  on  their  legs. 
Modern  fanciers  of  Leghorns  do  not 
— ^^^^^^^^^—  like  short  legged  specimens,  but  these 
three  males  are  rather  high  on  their 
legs  to  be  truly  symmetrical  Leg- 
horns. Of  the  three  birds  No.  2  is 
the  most  symmetrical  and  he  is  rather 
longer  than  the  average  in  all  sec- 
tions of  his  frame,  but  it  will  be  no- 
ticed that  length  is  secured  at  the  ex- 
pense of  graceful  lines,  the  back  in 
I)articular  being  severely  straight  and 
jciining  the.  tail  with  an  abrupt  angle. 
Xos.  1  and  3  are  deficient  in  br-east 
ilevelopment,  while  ingenefaj  style 
N".  2  leans  toward  the  'typff'Tesired 
in  t!ie  Minorca.  He  shows  tl^  stilted 
carriage,  the  long,  straight  "Sack  and 
the  underline  of  the  body  running 
nearly  parallel  with  that  of  the  back. 
The  sickles  on  the  tail  of  both  1  and 
2  do  not  extend  high  enough  up 
against  the  tail  proper.  Even  in  No. 
1,    which  was    a  mature    cock,  nearly 


69 


THE   LEGHORNS 


the  upper  half  of  the  tail  proper 
plumage  is  exposed.  Properly  carried 
sickles  rest  against  the  upper  pair  of 
main  tail  feathers  nearly  or  quite  to 
the  tips,  bending  so  as  to  form  a 
curve  like  a  sickle  from  which  they 
take  their  name. 

j      English  Leghorns  Often  Large 

I  Comparatively  large  sized  Leg- 
horns are  often  exhibited  in  England. 
All  that  we  have  ever  seen  of  them 
possessed  coarse,  angular  forms,  very 
much  inclined  to  what  American  fan- 
ciers consider  distinctly  Minorca 
shape.  Xo.  6,  a  cock  bird,  is  an  illus- 
tration of  one  of  these  large  Leg- 
horns. The  character  of  the  head 
points,  the  long,  angular  lines  of  the 
body,  wings  and  legs  as  well  as  the 
texture  of  the  plumage,  all  would 
have  stamped  this  bird  as  a  Minorca 
if  his  yellow  legs  were  not  considered. 
See  illustrations  6  and  7. 

No.  7  was  a  promising    cockerel 
that    would    later    exhibit    much    the 

the  same  type  as  No.  6,  but  his  head  points  were  not  so 
coarse.  The  serrations  of  the  comb,  however,  resemble 
that  of  the  Minorca  in  their  "circular,  saw  tooth"  arrange- 
ment instead  of  the  points  leaning  backward  to  the  rear  of 
the  blade.  The  shoulders  of  this  cockerel  are  not  so  de- 
cidedly prominent  and  angular  as  those  of  No.  6. 

Some  British  authorities  attribute  this  prominent  an- 
gular character  of  shoulder  to  Malay  blood,  but  we  have 
not  yet  seen  specimens  that  showed  indications  of  the  in- 
troduction of  blood  other  than  Mediterranean  and  from 
the  Minorca.  The  principal  objections  offered  against  the 
large  angular  birds  have  been  that  they  matured  late  and 
did  not  prove  to  be  such  good  layers  as  birds  of  the  gen- 
erally accepted  Standard  type  for  Leghorns.  These  are 
serious  defects  when  we  consider  that  the  main  economic 
claims  for  Leghorns  are  early  maturity  and  egg  produc- 
tion. It  means  simply  that  their  most  valuable  character- 
istics have  been  lost  or  diminished  in  value. 

In  1903,  at  Boston,  before  the  demand  for  much  lower 
tails  had  been  widely  felt,  one  of  the  most  attractive  males 
of  the  year  was  shown  by  Chas.  J.  Fogg.  It  was  of  service- 
able type  with  full  breast  and  good  breadth  of  body  ex- 


S'o.    7— A   1905   English    cockerel 

long   back   and   low   tail,    in   tr£ 

exhibit    an     exceedingly     low 

lis   cockerel   did   not   lift   his   t; 


tending  well  back,  and  he  had  a 
wealth  of  long  saddle  feathers.  The 
tail  is  a  little  above  the  angle  of 
forty-five  degrees  (at  that  time  pop- 
ular) and  the  sickles  extend  well  up 
against  the  tail  proper  and  are  of 
good  length  and  show  a  beautiful 
curve.  Three  side  hangers  on  the  side 
portrayed  are  well  developed,  but  the 
absence  of  the  lowest  or  fourth 
hanger  leaves  an  opening  in  what 
otherwise  would  have  been  a  very 
well  furnished  tail.  If  the  bird  had 
had  just  a  trifle  longer  body  and 
higher  station  with  a  little  lower  tail 
and  the  saddle  curving  up  with 
smoother  finish  against  the  root  of 
the  tail,  this  cockerel  might  have  been 
a  dangerous  competitor  in  eastern 
shows.  The  change  suggested  in  this 
bird  would  have  helped  him  to  ap- 
proach the  type  of  No.  15. 

In  group  1,  No.  5  is  a  portrait  of 
a  prize  cock  at  Chicago,  1905,  when 
the  eflfects  of  the  demand  for  lower 
tails  had  begun  to  be  seen  at  the 
larger  shows.  If  this  cock  had  had  a  finer  head  and  had 
been  properly  conditioned  foi  exhibition,  he  would  have 
been  a  worthy  specimen.  As  some  expert  conditioners 
vyould  express  it,  "He  was  spoiled  in  the  tub"  or  rather  "in 
the  drying,"  for  his  tine  tail  is  badly  disarranged,  the  upper 
side  hangers  taking  a  position  down  over  the  lowest 
hangers  and  the  saddle  falling  away  at  either  side  of  the 
root  of  the  tail,  exposing  it  instead  of  curving  up  in  a 
smooth  concave  finish  over  the  fluffy  roots  of  the  tail 
plumage.  It  has  grown  to  be  a  commonly  accepted  idea! 
with  leading  Leghorn  exhibitors  that  the  perfectly  finished 
saddle  and  tail  must  join  in  curved  lines.  To  do  this  the 
saddle  plumage  of  both  sexes  must  be  profuse  and 
smoothly  cover  the  roots  of  the  tail.  Such  a  long  plumaged 
tail  carried  so  low  would  be  greatly  valued  by  some  breed- 
ers whose  stock  birds  persist  in  carrying  their  tails  too 
erect  and  who  fail  to  develop  proper  length  of  sickles  and 
side  hangers.  However,  such  unusually  long  sickles  as  ap- 
pear on  this  specimen  are  not  ideal  sickles.  Those 
on  Nos.  4,  13,  17  and  21  are  rather  the  proper 
length  and  show  more  nearly  the  proper  curve  for  Leg- 
horns. 


Group  2— Nos    S  to  12;  No.  S  was  the  cock  heading  first  pen  at  the  Boston  show,  1905.  No.  9,  "Edna,"  was  a  long  bodied,  low 
tailed    hen    for    her    time.      She    showed    the    progression    being  made  and  was  of  great  value  in  establishing  her  type  in  one 
of  the  most  successful  strains  of  today.     Nos.  10.  11  and  12  were   1905  New   York   and   Boston   winners.     After   that   year   - 
noticeable  change  in   favor  of  lower 
She    was   one    of    the 


and  12  were    1905   New    York   and    Boston 
__   .-     -.    tails   was   observed.     No.  11  is  a  close  approach  to  an  ideal  Leghorn  of  her  time— 1905. 
symmetrical    females   that   has  ever  appeared. 


THE   LEGHORNS 


When  the  tail  of  a  male  Leghorn  is  carried  as  low  as 
cock  No.  5  carries  his  and  has  such  long  plumage  that  the 
sickles  reach  the  ground,  they  do  not  keep  the  true  sickle 
curve,  but  their  weight  straightens  out  the  latter  half  and 
in  this  form  they  approach  the  type  of  tail  found  on  young 
males  of  the  Long  Tailed  Japanese  varieties  and  they 
should  not  be  considered  ideal  for  the  Leghorn. 

Among  Leghorns  that  of  late  years  have  been  of 
special  prominence  at  New  York  and  Boston  on  account 
of  their  rapid  approach  to.ward  the  modern  ideal  for  the 
breed,  are  those  from  the  yards  of  D.  W.  Young,  Monroe, 
N.  Y.,  in  fact  his  annual  exhibition  at  the  New  York  show 
has  had  much  to  do  in  assuring  fanciers  that  it  is  possible 
to  reach  the  modern  Leghorn  ideal  and  that  it  is  most 
beautiful  when  attained.  Up  to  1905  White  Leghorns  of 
good   length  and  witli  low  tails  were  rarely    seen    in    the 


1907,  Mr.  Young  i;i  his  Edward  12th,  No.  24,  set  the  fash- 
ion well  ahead  and  produced  an  ideal  worthy  of  repetition 
for  several  generations.  However,  the  production  of  this 
cockerel  was  not  to  be  so  greatly  wondered  at  as  he  fol- 
lowed in  line  of  descent  the  cockerel  Edward  4th,  No.  17, 
group  3,  that  won  at  both  New  York  and  Boston,  1906, 
and  at  New  York  in  1907.  Geo.  H.  Burgott  who  judged 
this  bird  in  his  class  at  New  York  said  that  he  was  the 
finest  Leghorn  he  had  ever  seen  or  judged.  W.  Theo. 
Wittman  said  he  beat  any  picture  that  had  been  drawn  to 
date  and  was  nearer  perfection  than  he  thought  it  possible 
to  breed  them. 

No.  8,  group  2,  the  first  winning  pen  cock  at  Boston, 
1905,  shows  a  generous  sized  body  of  good  length  with 
profusely  furnished  tail,  but  he  carries  his  tail  above  45 
degrees,  so  tlie  back  does  not  show  its  length  to  such  ad- 


^m  w  ^fW^  w  %^ 


13  14  15  10  17 

Group  3— Nos.  13  to  17:  These  males  had  exceptionally  well  formed  tails  tor  their  time.  No  17,  "Edward  4th,"  showed 
a  considerably  lower  tail  than  had  heretofore  been  exhibited— 1806— on  White  Leghorn  males  with  such  fine  style  and  finish. 
He  won  at  both  New  York  and  Boston  in  1906  and  as  cock  at  New  York  in  1907.  No.  13  shows  sickles  that  are  nearly  Ideal  in 
'-roper  lensth  and  curve.  No.  14  is  the  same  female  as  No.  9,  group  2.  in  her  pullet  form  when  she  won  first  at  New  York. 
No^  15  was  the  most  symmetrical  and  finest  finished  cock  of  1906.     No.  16  was  a  trim,  close  plumaged  female  with  fine  head 

close  feathered.    Fanciers  prefer  tails  spread  somewhat  more 


and  she 


5,rd 


shoulder  to  rear  of  saddle  for  one 


New  York  show.  In  combining'  length  of  body  with 
gracefulness  of  outline  and  general  finish,  the  Leghorn 
has  made  a  more  valuable  and  more  popular  bird. 

Some  Noted  Winners 

Two  successful  winners  at  the  St.  Louis  World's  Fair 
owned  by  Elm  Poultry  Yards,  the  first  prize  pullet  and 
second  prize  cockerel,  Nos.  19  and  20  in  group  4,  showed 
not  only  long  bodies  but  the  pullet  was  particularly  full  in 
lireast  and  was  much  admired  for  her  wide-spread  tail. 
-Another  characteristic  noticeable  in  these  two  birds  is  that 
their  bodies  are  carried  more  nearly  on  the  level  than  is 
the  case  with  most  Leghorns.  While  this  has  never  been 
demanded  in  the  breed,  it  can  be  seen  by  referring  to  the 
few  that  carry  backs  nearly  level  that  the  saddle  reaches 
up  on  the  tail  better  when  the  back  is  carried  that  way. 
In  the  next  cockerel,  No.  21,  this  point  is  well  illustrated. 
With  the  back  sloping  greatly  and  with  the  tail  carried 
high,  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  find  or  to  train  the  feath- 
ers of  the  saddle  in  a  gracefully  curved  line  up  on  the  base 
of  the  tail.  In  Nos.  15,  17,  21,  22  and  23,  it  will  be  seen 
that  the  lines  from  the  back  to  the  tail  have  a  graceful 
curve.  Such  lines  are  always  much  admired  Ijy  Leghorn 
fanciers. 

In  cockerel  No.  10  the  sweep  is  also  concave,  but  it  is 
short  and  the  angle  of  back  and  tail  is  more  abrupt  than 
has  been  -,een  on  Mr.  Young's  best  winners  of  the  last  two 
or  three  years.  At  that  time,  1905-1906,  he  led  in  his 
class  wit!     first  honors  at  Boston.     In  the  following  year. 


vantage,  nor  does  the  saddle  take  so  graceful  a  sweep  as 
is  the  case  with  Mr.  Young's  later  winning  males.  The 
improvement  over  this  bird  will  be  readily  seen  when 
comparing  it  with  a  portrait  of  Edward  12th. 

A  feature  that  always  adds  charm  to  the  beauty  of  a 
fine  Leghorn  female  is  a  wealth  of  long  saddle  hackle 
feathers  and  as  some  of  the  males  develop.  Old  "Butter- 
legs,"  No.  18,  group  4,  first  Boston  cock  shown  by  Elm 
Poultry  Yards  in  1907,  possessed  an  extraordinary  length 
in  this  section.  A  glance  also  at  No.  4,  group,  1,  No.  12, 
group  2,  and  No.  15,  group  3,  teaches  one  the  value  of  such 
feathers  to  a  show  bird.  In  the  pose  of  No.  12,  although 
the  back  does  not  appear  long  the  exceeding  great  wealth 
of  saddle  plumage  adds  much  to  the  bird's  furnishing  and 
his  general  high-class  appearance.  In  natural  spread  of 
tail,  this  cock,  No.  12,  exceeds  any  other  male  in  the  col- 
lection. We  imagine  that  this  feature  might  be  overdone, 
yet  we  find  all  Leghorn  fanciers  pleased  to  see  their  birds 
carry  their  tails  well  spread,  the  common  fault  being  that 
the  tail  is  carried  too  much  contracted,  which  makes  a 
poor  display  of  the  fine  plumage  the  bird  may  possess. 
We  previously  referred  to  Nos.  4,  15,  17,  21  and  22  as  fine 
Standard  tails. 

The  best  formed  Leghorn  tails  from  the  rear  view  are 
not  held  close  with  the  tail  proper  feathers  tightly  closed, 
but  open  out  at  the  bottom  feathers  perhaps  two  or  three 
inches,  besides  this  the  top  of  the  tail  should  not  be 
formed  like  a  sharp  wedge,  but  should  be  rounded  at  the 
base  where  the  saddle  will  find  ample  support  to  rest  and 


nroup  4— Nos  IS  to  21;  Cock  No.  18  shows  a  wealth'  of  beautiful,  long  saddle  plumage.  No.  19  was  the  first  St.  Louis 
W'vild's  Fair  pullet.  She  had  a  full,  rounded  breast,  long  body  and  beautifully  spread  tail.  No.  20  was  the  second  St.  Louis 
W;/i-ld's  Fair  cockerel.  He  had  a  long  body  and  carried  his  tail  at  45  degrees.  Note  that  the  bodies  of  both  Nos.  19  and  20 
ar,s  carried  nearly  on  the  level.  No.  21  was  an  exceedingly  flashy  styled  cockerel,  first  at  Boston,  1907.  He  had  elegant  curves 
in  all   sections  and  was  owned  by  Elm  Polutry  Yards. 


form  a  concave  sweep  up  over  the  tail  coverts.  The  breast 
of  the  Leghorn  should  never  form  angular  outlines,  but 
be  as  round  as  the  breast  of  a  pigeon.  It  should  not  be 
flattened  in  front  of  the  wing  shoulders,  but  should  round 
boldly  forward.  The  breast  bone  should  extend  well  for- 
ward and  form  a  rounding  curved  line  that  continues  in 
an  unbroken  curve  to  the  neck.  Nos.  1  and  3,  group  1, 
show  breasts  that  are  very  scanty  and  are  poor  breasts 
when  compared  with  such  as  Nos.  4,  13,  IS  or  21. 

The  Leghorn  is  not  bred  as  a  large  fowl,  but  on  ac- 
count of  its  very  rapid  maturity  is  profitably  hatched  and 
reared  for  "squab  broilers"  to  be  killed  when  about  one 
and  one-half  pounds,  forming  tender  morsels  for  special 
high-priced  trade.  This  is  one  reason  why  the  full,  plump 
breast  and  breast  bone  of  good  proportionate  length 
should  be  encouraged.  It  is  a  fact  also  that  the  full,  well- 
muscled  breast  always  denotes  vigor,  strength  and  physi- 
cal perfection,  in  other  words,  thrifty,  practical  fowls  for 
money  makers  on  the  farm  or  for  fanciers'  favorites  on 
country  estates  and  in  the  show  room. 

As  foragers  for  a  large  portion  of  their  keep,  these 
fowls  should  be  particularly  strong  on  their  legs.  When 
selected  to  a  stilty  type,  there  is  great  difficulty  in  keeping 
the  back  and  breast  of  proportionate  breadth  and  in  pro- 
ducing close  hocks.  No.  1  is  a  specimen  in  which  the 
hock  joints  of  the  legs  are  close  together.  No.  IS,  group 
3,  stands  with  particular  strength  on  his  legs.  Every 
muscle  appears  to  be  firm  from  the  ground  up. 

As  a  rule.  Leghorns  have  very  well  formed  feet.  It 
might  prove  very  disastrous  to  breed  from  one  with  weak 
or  crooked  toes,  even  though  the  specimen  possessed 
many  other  fine  qualities.  When  the  breeder  realizes  that 
so  much  of  the  bird's  general  symmetry,  his  carriage  and 
perfection  of  pose  and  style  so  much  depend  upon  perfect 
feet,  he  will  not  be  tempted  to  breed  from  birds  that  are 
not  perfectly  sound  in  this  section. 

In  our  attempt  to  keep  the  younger  fanciers  posted 
and  to  help  the  distant  fancier  who  is  not  able  annually 
to  reach  the  important  eastern  shows,  we  would  like  to 
state  that  in  the  article  published  on  page  74  on 
"Heads,  Comb,  Wattles  and  Ear-lobes,"  we  advocate  the 
selection  of  birds  showing  fine  combs  and  are  pleased  to 
say  that  several  leading  White  Leghorn  fanciers  have  fully 
decided  to  select  birds  with  small,  fine  combs,  such  as  are 
illustrated  in  cockerel  No.  24  and  in  hens  Nos.  25  and  26 — 
both  because  of  the  neatness  of  such  head  gear  and  be- 
cause such  combs  stand  the  winter    frost    best  and  birds 


possessing  such  combs  have  been  found  by  practical 
breeders  to  equal  as  layers  females  that  have  much  larger 
combs.  It  is  the  earnest  desire  of  Leghorn  fanciers  to 
combine  in  their  favorites  all  that  is  practical  with  every 
possible  point  of  beauty.  They  desire  to  make  them  truly 
attractive  and  of  value  to  the  million. 

Progressive  White  Leghorn  Females 

One  of  the  females  that  was  used  most  successfully  in 
producing  Leghorns  that  would  set  the  fashion  was  the 
well-known  "Edna,"  (No.  14,  group  3)  first  as  pullet  at 
New  York  in  1902  and  first  in  pen  at  Boston  190S.  Her 
portrait  as  a  pullet  in  group  3  is  considerably  foreshort- 
ened, but  in  group  2,  No.  9,  she  shows  her  unusual  length 
and  low  carriage  of  tail  to  good  advantage.  Mr.  Young's 
first  prize  pullet  at  New  York  in  1907  resembles  her  in 
head  points  and  great  length  of  body.  The  1907  winning 
pullet.  No.  27,  is  more  nearly  perfect. in  her  symmetrical 
style  of  carrying  herself.  Her  full  breast,  long  keel  bone, 
long  back  and  beautifully  spread,  low  carried  tail  prove 
how  much  in  harmony  these  sections  can  be  combined  in 
the  typical,  popular  "laying  type." 

In  the  pullet  grouped  with  this  one,   No.  28,  another 


Nos.  22  and  23:— In  order  to  illustrate  huw  well  the  long 
body  of  the  modern  Leghorn  may  be  carried  nearly  on  a  level 
when  the  birds  assume  poses  expressing  both  the  spirited  and 
quiet  mood,  we  present  these  two  poses  of  first  pen  cockerel  at 
the  last  New  York  show.  Most  males  of  the  old  type  when 
startled  or  excited  so  that  they  stretched  upward  in  front  would 
stand  like  bantams  on  tiptoe,  tirop  the  wing  points  very  low  and 
slope  the  back,  thus  changing  the  entire  style.  In  the  modern 
type  we  have  a  showy  bird  in  all  points,   but   we  have  a   bird 


can    carry   himself 


bly 


72 


THE   LEGHORNS 


one  of  Mr.  Young's  productions,  it  is  plain  that  the  long- 
appearing  bodies  of  such  birds  are  not  dependent  upon 
pose.  Such  birds  are  of  good  size  when  handled,  besides 
having  the  capacity  for  producing  quantities  of  generous 
sized  eggs.  When  such  good  size  can  be  obtained  and 
established  in  combination  with  pretty  style  and  flashy 
show  points,  one  cannot  fail  to  recognize  the  value  o{ 
such  birds.  The  very  longest  bodies  do  not  necessarily 
express  Mr.  Young's  up-to-date  ideal  as  he  has  often 
pointed  it  out  to  a  group  of  Leghorn  enthusiasts  studying 
their  fine  points. 

In  No.  11,  group  2,  once  first  at  New  York  and  three 
times  first  at  Boston,  and  in  No.  26,  first  hen  at  New  York, 
1910,  we  see  show  room  Leghorn  fashion  for  females  quite 
well  illustrated.  This  type  has  been  described  by  Mr. 
Young  as  exhibiting  the  "crescentic"  underline  of 
body.  This  line  is 
best  seen  in  the 
form  of  the  smooth 
body  of  the  female, 
although  it  can  be 
well  recognized  by 
experts  in  the  male 
possessing  the  type. 
Nos.  10,  13,  15,  17, 
21,  22  or  24  are  ex- 
amples tending  to- 
ward this  ideal.  The 
No.  11,  group  2, 
hen  was  perhaps 
the  best  type  of  ex- 
hibition hen  pro- 
'luced  to  the  date 
of  her  showing.  No. 
-(J,  of  those  illus- 
No.  24— "Edward  12th."  a  1907  D.  W.  trated,  is  nearest  to 
Young  cockerel  that  set  the  fashion  ^hp  nrpspnt  rln-,, 
for  several  generations.  '"^    p  r  e  s  e  n  t-ri  a  y 


Nm-  _•:,  ;iim1  It;;— Thr.se  birds  have  neat  combs  and  are  .very 
near  llie  ideal  type,  having  long  bodies  with  a  graceful  con- 
cave line  to  the  low  carried  tails.  Their  bodies  are  carried  nearly 
on  the  level  and  they  have  full  rounded  breasts.  No.  26  Is  of  an 
especially  attractive  style.    She  was  first  hen  at  New  York,  1910. 

fashion  and  spirit  of  the  down-to-date  winning  White  Leg- 
horn hen.  Note  the  arch  of  her  neck,  the  proininence  of  her 
breast  and  the  sweep  of  her  back.  Even  the  underline  of 
her  body  forms  a  graceful  curve.  No  wonder  Geo.  H. 
Burgott  said  "They  are  a  bird  of  curves."  In  comparing 
Nos.  25  and  26  one  must  admit  that  pose,  while  it  affects 
the  apparent  length  to  a  degree,  the  actually  long  bird 
even  in  the  most  spirited  pose,  such  as  shown  in  No.  26, 
exhibits  an  elongated  type. 

By  noting  Nos.  11,  25,  26  and  27,  it  will  be  observed 
that  these  modern  Leghorns  are  of  unusual  length  from 
the  top  of  the  wing  where  it  joins  the  back,  straight  back- 
ward to  where  the  rear  of  the  cushion  joins  the  sides  of 
the  tail  proper.  This  is  a  point  considered  by  leading  ex- 
perts as  of  great  importance  to  the  successful  modern 
show-room  Leghorns,  although  it  has  been  a  feature  quite 
uncommon. 


Nos.  27  and  25:  No,  27  was  a  winning  pullet  in  1907  and  she  carried  herself  in  re- 
markably good  style,  having  many  points  of  excellence.  No.  2S  is  another  D.  W.  Young 
pullet  illustrated  here  to  show  that  this  type  of  bird  is  not  dependent  upon  its  pose  in 
order  to  appear  to  have  a  long  body.    They  really  have  good  size  when  handled. 


Heads,  Combs,  Wattles,  and  Ear-Lobes 

The  Siogle  Comb  of  the  Leghorn— II  is  a  Type  of  Comb  Fitted  to  be  the  Crowning  Glory  of  These  Sprightly 

Ilirds— A  Perfect  and   Defective   Head   Shown  by  Sewell  Drawings— Attributes  of  a  Standard 

Head — Defects  and   Merits   Found  in  the   Head  and  its  Adjuncts  Illustrated 

by  Photographs  of  Many  Prize-w^inning  Leghorns. 


Kranblan 

HE  original  Ballus  Bankivus 
'or  jungle  fowl  that  authorities 
claim  was  the  father  of  all  the 
domestic  races  of  chickens  had  a 
small,  trim  single  comb,  such  as 
is  usually  found  on  small  game 
fowls.  There  have  been  many 
variations  from  the  single  type 
of  comb,  due  to  domestication 
and  changes  of  environment  and 
conditions.  They  are  quite  un- 
e.xplainable,  but  nevertheless 
marked  and  definite  in  their  ten- 
dencies and  they  frequently  recur 
in  old  established  strains. 
The  single  comb,  as  we  would  naturally  expect,  is  the 
commonest  type  of  comb  and  on  many  kinds  of  birds  this 
style  of  comb  proves  to  be  the  most  attractive.  It  is 
usually  found  on  the  races  that  have  large  tails,  adding  a 
bright  touch  of  gay 
color  which  balances 
well  with  their  form 
and  is  in  harmony 
with  the  symmetri- 
cal make-up  of  a 
particularly  showy 
bird.  On  the  grace- 
fully plumaged  Leg- 
horn the  single 
comb  has  long 
been  bred  to  a  def- 
inite ideal  by  Amer- 
ican fanciers  in  or- 
der to  establish 
qualities  that  are 
recognized  as  being 
beautiful.  It  must 
be  kept  in  mind  that 
qualities  of  beauty 
in  a  comb  as  well 
as  in  plumage  are 
best  when  of  such  a 
nature  that  they  will 
not  easily  spoil  or 
become  out  of  shape 
by  a   little   abuse   in 

transportation.     Especially  is  this  true  if  the  fowl  is  to  be 
of  value  as  a  show  bird. 

The  comb  of  the  male  must  be  of  such  substance  that 
it  will  not  fall  over  with  slight  bruising  or  become  flabby 
and  lop  when  placed  in  the  warm  temperature  of  an  ex- 
hibition hall.  It  must  stand  erect  and  firm,  therefore  must 
have  good  gristle  and  fiber. 

When  a  bird  is  in  vigorous  health  its  comb,  if  of  the 
right  kind,  should  keep  its  shape  as  well  as  its  bright  color 
in  spite  of  the  changes  suffered  in  transit  and  while  being 
shown. 

Resides  being  erect,  firm  and  straight  on  the  head 
from   ir.jnt  to  rear,  one   of  the    chief    aims   of  exhibiting 

74 


L.  Se« 


ell 


An  ideal  Leghorn  comb  showing  the 
desired  ■  five  points  with  properly 
shaped  blade  and  rear  point.  For  de- 
scription see  text  of  article.— F.  L.. 
Sewell. 


fanciers  has  been  to  produce  the  comb  with  "just  five 
points,"  besides  the  one  at  the  extreme  end  of  the  rear 
blade. 

The  outline  of  an  ideal  (which  we  present  herewith) 
will  express  this  form  of  comb  having  the  desired  five 
points  better  than  words  can  describe  it.  It  takes  con- 
tinued, precise  selection  and  breeding,  using  only  five- 
pointed  combs  in  both  sides  of  the  parent  stock,  to  estab- 
lish the  habit  in  any  strain  of  producing  many  finely 
formed  combs  with  the  ideal  number  of  points. 

The  five-pointed  "Leghorn"  comb  was  long  ago  de- 
cided upon  as  the  nearest  approach  to  ideal  form  and 
symmetry  on  the  head  of  the  breed.  It  certainly  would 
be  difficult  to  conceive  a  more  elegant  decoration  for  the 
heads  of  these  birds  than  the  present  handsome  comb. 

The  entire  blade  and  main  part  of  a  fine  Leghorn 
comb  is  not  thick  and  coarse,  but  comparatively  thin  and 
fine.  The  points  or  spikes  are  rounded  as  they  approach 
the  tips,  but  oblong  where  they  join  the  main  blade.  In 
fine  combs  the  sur- 
face is  minutely 
grained  and  might 
be  compared  to  fine 
grained  leather. 

The  height  of 
the  comb  from 
above  the  eye  is 
apt  to  be  about 
equal  to  the  length 
of  the  wattles  and 
the  wattles  are 
about  twice  the 
length  of  the  ear- 
lobes.  The  front  or 
first  point  should 
always  be  the  smal- 
lest and  each  point, 
excepting  the  fifth, 
is  larger  than  the 
one  next  forward. 
The  third  and  fifth 
points  are  usually 
about  equal  in  size 
on  nicely  formed 
Leghorn  combs. 
Fanciers  prefer  to 
see  the  points  lean  very  slightly  backward  rather  tha»  to 
have  them  appear  to  be  radiating  from  one  center,  or  as 
someone  has  expressed  it,  "like  the  teeth  on  a  circular  saw." 
The  last  point  at  the  end  of  the  rear  blade  gives  a  nice 
finish  and'  smartness  to  the  comb  when  its  tendency  is  to 
bend  very  slightly  upward;  and  it  is  a  fine  feature  of  a 
show  comb  when  the  blade  terminates  in  just  a  single 
point.  A  comb  that  is  free  from  irregular  indentations  is 
much  to  be  desired.  The  removal  of  irregularities  of  the 
comb  has  always  been  a  sore  temptation  to  the  exhibitor 
who  may  be  inclined  to  unfair  competition. 

The  blade  of  a  fine  Leghorn  comb  stands  out  toward 
the  back,  clearing  well  away  from  the  head.  As  the  Stand- 


wattles  and  ear-lobes  that  are  often 
found  and  that  make  a  bird  a  cull  no 
matter  now  well  bred.— F.  L.  Sewell. 


THE  LEGHORNS 


75 


arc!  of  Perfection  says,  it  should  have  "no  tendency  to  io\-m- 
low  shape  of  neck,"  or  even  to  fall  close  to  the  head,  but" 
it  should  gracefully  clear  it  with  a  nicely  curved  edge  up 
to  the  terminating  point.  From  front  to  back  the  fine 
comb  will  be  straight  and  firmly  set  on  the  head,  free 
from  any  bent,  twisted  or  wrinkl  d  places;  and  aside  from 
the  finely  grained  surface,  it  should  be  quite  smooth. 

Readers  may  think  I  dwell  too  long  upon  the  qualities 
of  a  fine  comb,  but  when  one  observes  how  rarely  a  first 
prize  is  ever  given  to  any  but  the  Leghorn  with  an  ele- 
gant comb,  the  necessity  for  keeping  this  section  up  to 
the  Standard  will  be  understood. 

The  last  standard  description  for  the  Leghorn  head 
was  "Short,  deep;"  in  the  present  issue  we  read 
"Moderate  in  length,  fairly  deep."  The  fine  Leghorn  head 
is  moderately  small,  nicely  rounded  and  the  neck  tapers 
nicely  to  where  it  joins  the  skull.  The  eyes  are  "nearly 
round,"  and  are  bright  and  alert  in  expression.  It  is  very 
seldom  there  is  any  expression  of  cruelty  in  the  Leghorn 


finishing  touches  to  the  genuinely  superior,  all-round- 
standard-quality  show  bird,  and  these  rarely  attained 
fancy  exhibition  points  help  a  long  way  toward  deciding 
whether  the  bird  is  to  be  a  prize  taker  and  a  great  profit 
maker. 

On  the  correctly  plumaged  Leghorn  the  edges  of  the 
earlobes  and  wattles  that  join  the  feathered  side  are  not 
buried  or  covered  by  coarse  feathers,  but  the  plumage 
appears  neatly  tucked  up  under  them. 

The  Defective  Head 

In  contrast  to  the  regular,  gracefully  curved  lines  of 
the  ideal,  there  are  the  coarse,  irregular  defects,  all  too 
commonly  found  and  reproduced  where  indifferent  mating 
is  permitted.  With  the  profitable  demand  constantly  in- 
creasing for  standard-bred  fowls  of  exhibition  quality,  it 
pays  and  pays  well  studiously  to  cull  out  the  defective 
specimens,  for  their  defects  are  sure  to  be  repeated  and 
often  exaggerated  in  the  annual  reversion  to  the  original 


face.  This  race  is  the  personification  of  industry  in  "hen- 
dom"  and  it  is  only  natural  that  the  expression  should  in- 
dicate this  habit. 

From  the  "nicely  curved"  beak  hang  the  thin  wattles 
which  fanciers  desire  to  see  well  rounded  with  the  oblong 
edges,  curved  forward,  not  hanging  in  wrinkled  folds 
close  to  the  neck.  To  hang  properly  they  will  have  to  be 
almost  perfect  in  conformation  and  manner  of  attach- 
ment. The  manner  in  which  they  are  joined  to  the  beak 
is  very  important  and  if  they  are  wrinkled  at  the  beak 
they  are  almost  sure  to  hang  irregularly. 

Perhaps  one  of  the  most  characteristic  fancy  features 
of  the  modern  show  Leghorn  is  its  ear-lobes.  They  must 
be  soft,  smooth  and  spotless  in  surface,  like  a  new  kid 
glove.  The  object  of  this  article  is  not  to  take  up  any  dis- 
cussion of  color,  but  we  will  state  here  that  perfection  of 
the  lobe  demands  a  life-long  perfect  condition.  Even  a 
slight  sore  or  frost  bite,  bruise  or  scar  will  mar  the  beauty 
of  the  lobes  almost  irreparably.  If  you  are  looking  for 
Leghorns  that  have  always  been  well  cared  for  you  will 
find  that  perfect  lobes  are  an  almost  infallible  indication 
of  good  care. 

In  general  outline  the  lobes  are  oval  or  "bioadened 
almond  shape,"  as  the  Standard  describes  them.  The 
upper  end  of  the  lobe  is  commonly  the  larger.  They 
should  not  be  puffed  or  in  any  part  "lumpy,"  but  rather 
thin,  smooth  and  free  from  wrinkles  or  indentations.  To 
produce  a  lobe  approaching  perfection  is  a  real  achieve- 
ment and  it  adds  much  to  the  beauty  of  a  show  bird.  Of 
course  it  is  a  fancy  section  and  on  a  poorer  specimen 
would  be  little  thought  of.     We  are  writing  here  of  the 


parent  birds.  Only  the  closest  selection  of  the  best  will 
insure  progress.  Breeding  from  such  birds  is  bound  to 
bring  improvement.  The  sketch  showing  "defective" 
qualities  is  not  imaginative,  but  is  a  combination  of  some 
of  the  more  common  irregularities  that  appear  in  the  yard 
of  the  man  who  permits  his  fowls  to  mate  and  produce 
"any  old  way."  Coarseness  from  careless  breeding  here 
brings  the  natural  product — a  cull.  Domestication  with- 
out care  and  studious  breeding  breaks  up  the  line  of  an- 
cestry and  the  habit  of  producing  a  certain  type.  This 
illustration  is  a  fair  example  of  a  product  of  blood  lines 
that  instead  of  being  adapted  to  rules  that  harmonize,  ex- 
hibit mixed,  contrary  natures.  The  comb  twists  and  has 
grown  in  a  very  irregular  manner.  It  puckers  from  over- 
growth in  front  over  the  nostrils.  Many  serrations  of  un- 
desirable shape  have  developed.  There  are  double  serra- 
tions, sprigs  at  the  rear  and  two  large  points  have  out- 
grown their  strength  and  lop  over.  At  the  front  the  com^ 
extends  too  far  over  the  beak;  at  the  back  it  is  so  far 
overgrown  that  the  blade  pushes  against  th«  neck  where 
it  joins  the  head,  producing  an  irritating  sore  where  the 
comb  has  broken.  The  face,  wattles  and  ear-lobes  are 
also  very  coarse  and  wrinkled,  the  wattles  being  uneven 
in  length.  Where  the  wattles  and  the  face  join  the  beak 
and  mouth  there  are  rough  lumps  that  add  only  ugliness 
and  grossness  to  the  face  and  head. 

"Well,"  you  say,  "that  is  a  cull,  he  will  be  eaten."  He 
ought  to  be,  but  some  breeders  send  this  kind  to  market 
and  the  marketman  says  to  Mr.  Suburbanite,  "That's  a 
Leghorn.  They  are  great  layers,"  and  the  outcome  of  it 
is  that  such  a  bird  heads  a  pen  of  "Leghorns."    After  Mr. 


Suburbanite  rears  a  flock  from  that  male  and  a  number  of 
equally  poor  females,  his  more-knowing  neighbor  is  called 
over  to  pick  out  the  "finest"  for  next  year's  breeding.  If 
his  neighbor  (who  may  be  informed)  is  honest,  they  will 
decide  that  the  whole  season  has  been  spent  rearing  "just 
a  flock  of  culls"  worth  only  the  price  per  pound  at  the 
same  market  where  their  sire  and  dams  were  purchased. 

Heads  of  Prize  Winning  Males 

When  comparing  these  Leghorn  heads  and  combs,  it 
should  be  borne  in  mind  that  they  illustrate  the  leaders 
of  a  breed  that  has  been  well  established  and  pure-bred  in 
America  for  nearly  half  a  century.  Variations  will  not  be 
so  great  or  at  once  so  noticeable  as  during  the  first  ten 
years  of  the  history  of  a  variety.  However,  sufficient 
variation  will  be  seen  to  show  that  there  is  opportunity 
for  careful  selection  and  breeding  to  the  ideal. 

The  earliest  of  this  collection  to  appear  before  the 
public  was  cock  No.  7  group  two.  He  was  shown  by  Ezra 
Cornell  and  won  first  at  New  York,  1899.  This  strain  was 
built  rather  high  on  the  legs  with  sloping  backs  and  rather 
close  plumage  and  not  large  tails.  The  comb  is  not  un- 
like the  description  of  the  bird — "up  in  front,  rather  slop- 
ing to  the  rear."  The  base  of  the  points  of  nearly  all 
male  Leghorn  combs,  or  we  might  call  it,  the  line  where 
the  serrations  join  the  blade  of  the  comb,  slopes  slightly. 
Some  are  not  far  from  level.  A  few  will  be  found  to  be 
carried  so  that  the  line  is  elevated  as  the  points  are 
counted  backward.  In  the  latter  style  the  rear  blade  will 
be  found  to  extend  well  up  away  from  the  head  where 
the  neck  joins. 

No.  7  shows  a  straight  comb  well  joined  to  the  head, 
quite  free  from  wrinkles.  The  second  and  third  points  are 
too  high.  The  rear  blade  loses  character  by  a  sixth  point. 
In  general  form  the  wattles  are  fair,  but  look  somewhat 
thick  and  heavy.  The  general  outline  of  the  ear-lobe  is 
good,  but  it  is  rather  thick  and  puffed.  The  eye  looks  a 
trifle  small.  The  neck  arches  well  behind  and  is  joined 
neatly  to  the  head.     In  front  the  neck  is  rather  straight. 

No.  11  was  first  winner  at  Pan-American.  1901,  and 
was    sold    by    Ezra   Cornell    to    White     Leghorn     Poultry 


Yards.  It  was  a  smart,  high-stationed  cockerel  with  quite 
regular  and  sharply  defined  points  on  the  comb.  The 
blade  terminates  in  a  double  instead  of  a  single  point  and 
is  straight  instead  of  nicely  curved  on  the  lower  edge,  but 
extends  well  back  away  from  the  head.  The  wattles  are 
neat  and  nicely  rounded. 

No.  15,  Group  3,  the  next  to  appear  in  1903,  was  D. 
W.  Young's  "Arch  1st,"  the  first  winning  cockerel  at 
New  York.  He  possessed  a  comb  with  just  five  point: 
and  the  rear  blade  had  the  desired  "one  terminal  point." 
The  back  end  of  the  blade  is  rather  square.  The  fifth 
point  might  look  better  just  a  little  shorter  and  the  curve 
of  the  front  over  the  beak  might  be  a  trifle  bolder.  The 
wattles  to  balance  the  comb  could  be  a  very  little  longer. 
The  ear-lobes  are  fine  and  the  whole  head  shows  a  valu- 
able bird  as  a  breeder  for  Standard  points. 

No.  13,  Group  3,  was  the  first  winning  cockerel  at 
Boston,  1903,  and  was  owned  by  Chas.  J.  Fogg.  He  was 
a  sturdy  young  bird  with  plenty  of  size  for  a  young  Leg- 
horn and  was  of  a  fine,  vigorous  type,  having  firm  plumage 
and  full  rounded  breast.  The  comb  is  very  straight  and 
regular,  although  it  shows  six  instead  of  five  points. 
Breeders  have  agreed  upon  five  points  for  the  ideal  al- 
though some  would  be  quite  willing  to  fancy  six  were  that 
the  ideal  number  instead  of  five.  The  lobes  are  well 
formed  and  of  nice  size.  The  wattles  are  of  proportion- 
ate length,  considering  the  comb  and  are  well  formed  ex- 
cept that  they  turn  backward  a  little  on  the  front  edges 
which  should  hang  so  as  to  form  a  moderate  curve  for- 
ward. 

No.  9,  Group  2,  was  the  second  winner  at  the  World's 
Fair  at  St.  Louis,  1904.  He  was  not  quite  so  matured  as 
are  the  birds  usually  seen  at  the  winter  shows,  but  he  was 
well  balanced  in  bodj  and  general  form.  The  comb  does 
not  show  quite  the  refinement  and  niceness  about  the  ar- 
rangement of  points  that  could  be  desired.  The  fourth 
point  is  too  broad  at  the  base  to  harmonize  with  the  rest. 

In  No.  3,  Group  1,  we  see  another  upstanding  type  of 
similar  blood  lines  as  the  first  two  mentioned.  This  cock 
was  a  winner  at  Rochester,  1904,  and  was  owned  by  the 


White  Leghorn  Porltry  Yards.     The  general  for 


thi 


Group  3:  No.  16 


THE   LEGHORNS 


77 


comb  is  shapely.  The  blade  is  straight  and  free  from 
wrinkles.  The  first  point  in  front  has  not  been  preserved 
and  the  fourth  and  fifth  points  are  too  long  and  narrow. 
The  rear  blade  would  be  finely  shaped  but  for  the  pro- 
jection extending  a  little  way  out  at  the  back.  The  wattles 
are  too  short  and  small  for  the  size  of  the  comb.  The 
general  shape  of  the  comb  is  nearly  correct.  The  neck  is 
a  little  straight  in  front. 

At  the  Chicago,  1905,  show,  White  Leghorn  Poultry 
Yards  exhibited  cock  No.  6,  Group  2.     This  cock  was  lon<; 


feathered  and  had  a  large  comb,  but  it  was  remarkably 
straight  considering  its  size.  It  is  too  heavy  and  large  in 
the  rear,  extending  too  low  and  close  to  the  head'and 
neck  to  please  Leghorn  fanciers.  This  is  the  Jargest 
.\merican  bred  comb  shown  in  this  collection  of  lieads. 
The  ear-lobes  of  this  bird  are  too  thick  and  beefy  and 
show  wrinkles  and  a  rough  surface.  The  wattles,  con- 
sidering their  size,  are  well  formed. 

To  show  the  effect  of  producing  still  larger  combs,  we 
have  placed  at  the  right-hand  end  of  Group  1,  No.  5,  the 
head  of  an  English  White  Leghorn  male  shown  at  Hors- 
ham, Sussex,  in  1905.  American  fanciers  would  class  this 
as  a  Minorca,  and  it  is  much  closer  to  the  Minorca  head 
seen  in  this  country  than  it  is  to  an  .American  Leghorn 
head.  The  coarse  surface  and  large,  thick  points  have 
been  avoided  by  Leghorn  breeders 
here  in  America  for  more  than  a 
quarter  of  a  century.  The  wattles  are 
very  large  and  their  front  edges  curl 
backwaids  as  do  large  wattles  on 
Minorcas.  In  fact  his  comb,  lobes 
and  wattles  are  what  would  be  ex- 
pected, here  in  America,  on  the  Min- 


caused  it  to  grow  an  angle  not  far  below  where  it  joins. 
The  arch  of  the  neck  is  a  beautiful  curve  and  the  plumage 
has  an  elegant  surface. 

No.  2  shows  a  gracefully  formed  mature  cock  with 
neatly  formed  head  and  good  expression  of  eye.  The 
comb  has  just  five  points,  but  they  are  not  tapered  enough 
and  the  rear  blade  droops  too  much  on  top.  The  main 
part  of  the  comb  is  slightly  dished  or  bent.  The  wattles 
and  lobes,  partly  on  account  of  age,  are  a  little  rough. 

Xn.  4  is  a  head  of  characteristic  Leghorn  type  and 
neatness.  The  face  is  fine,  round  and 
clearly  defined  and  the  eyes  are  in- 
telligent. The  beak  is  perfectly  curved 
and  the  comb  and  lobes  are  nicely 
balanced.  The  comb,  it  will  be  ob- 
served, possesses  only  four  points, 
which  is  unusual  for  a  comb  of  such 
regularity  with  the  front  over  the 
beak  so  well  curved  up  to  the  first 
point.  While  it  is  not  desirable  to 
have  so  few  points  in  combs,  the  ten- 
dency to  fineness  in  the  head  is  much 
to  be  preferred  to  any  degree  of 
coarseness.  There  is  no  doubt  that  a 
bird  having  such  a  head  and  comb 
would  prove  a  valuable  breeder. 

Xo.  10,  Group  2,  shows  a  pose  of  the  head  often  seen 
when  a  bird  is  carrying  its  body  too  high  in  front  to  pre- 
serve the  well-balanced  appearance  demanded  by  show 
birds.  The  head  appears  to  be  of  good  width,  but  is 
drawn  backward  so  that  the  rear  blade  appears  to  be  more 
slanting  than  it  would  if  the  head  were  held  more  nearly 
on  the  level.  The  form  of  the  points  and  serrations  of  the 
comb  are  moderately  good.  The  front  of  the  comb  to  the 
first  point,  also  the  front  edges  of  the  wattles,  do  not 
curve  smoothly  but  have  irregular  outlines.  In  this  pose 
the  neck  appears  to  be  too  straight  and  is  not  arched  well 
at  the  back. 

No.  12,  Group  3,  was  the  winning  cock  at  New  York 
in  1906.     He  was  a  mature  male  of  superior  elegance  and 


1905  was  a  red-letter  year  at  Bos 
ton  for  D.  W.  Young's  White  Leg 
horns.  Three  of  his  male  birds  woi 
first  prizes.  No.  1,  Group  1,  being  th( 
cockerel  that  won  first  at  Boston  that 

year.     No.  2  was    the    cock    heading  oiam 

first  pen  and  No.  4  was  the  first  cock 

in  open  class.  These  males  are  of  an  old  strain  that  in 
late  years  has  led  the  fashion  in  New  York's  White  Leg- 
horn classes. 

No.  1  exhibits  a  firmly  set,  medium-sized  comb.  The 
front  over  the  base  of  the  beak  is  slightly  wrinkled.  The 
points  increase  in  size  to  the  fifth  instead  of  the  fourth, 
which  should  be  the  largest.  Below  the  terminal  point  on 
the  rear  blade  is  a  nick  and  the  fourth  point  shows  a  small 
lump  in  front  instead  of  tapering  smoothly.  The  beak, 
face  and  eyes  are  nicely  formed,  the  eyes  being  particularly 
round  and  bright.  The  ear-lobes  and  wattles  are  well 
formed,  the  latter  showing  the  result  of  an  accident   that 


style  and  reflected  great  credit  on  Mr.  Young  as  a 
breeder.  This  bird  was  chosen  as  a  model  for  the 
Reliable  Poultry  Journal's  color-plate  for  December, 
1906  (reproduced  on  the  frontis  page  of  this  book.)  The 
character  of  the  bird's  graceful  type  is  well  expressed  in 
this  portrait  of  his  head  and  neck.  The  entire  make-up 
shows  symmetrical  proportions  and  the  "curves"  so  much 
sought  by  Leghorn  fanciers  are  expressed  in  every  line. 
From  beak  over  tip  of  points  to  rear  point  of  blade,  the 
comb  is  beautifully  curved.  The  large  lobes  form  well 
shaped  oblongs;  the  neck  and  breast  curve  well  in  fron'. 
and  the  arch  of  the  neck  is  good.     It  is  all  true  Leghorn 


THE   LEGHORNS 


The  firm  texture  of  the  comb  is  emphasized  by  the  way 
the  long  rear  blade  extends  backward,  as  though  in  no 
danger  of  drooping.  The  lobe  is  the  largest,  except  per- 
haps on  No.  5,  of  any  in  this  collection,  yet  the  face  re- 
tained its  pure  red  surface. 

Attention  is  called  to  the  pose  of  No.  17,  Group  3. 
The  head  is  turned  quartering — slightly  to  the  front.  It 
takes  a  bird  having  a  finely  hackled  and  arched  neck  to 
exhibit  such  a  nice  curve  from  the  point  where  the  head 
joins  the  shoulders  when  posed  in  this  manner.  This 
view  shows  the  erect  position  of  the  serrations,  but  it 
does  not  show  that  they  lean  backward  as  in  No.  12, 
which  is  another  view  of  the  same  bird.  An  unusually 
long  plumaged  cock  that  won  first  at  Boston,  1907,  was 
shown  by  Elm  Poultry  Yards.  His  picture  is  No.  8.  There 
is  a  proud  bearing  in  the  pose  of  this  bird,  and  the  neck 
with  its  bold  arch  is  joined  nicely  to  the  head.  The  ex- 
pression  and   form   of  the   eyes  are   fine.     The   surface   of 


on  the  Leghorn  female.  One  old  breeder  whose  Leghorns 
won  at  many  leading  shows  twenty  years  ago,  told  us  he 
succeeded  best  in  producing  fine-combed  males  by  using 
females  that  had  medium-sized  combs  that  stood  "straight 
upright,"  and  that  he  produced  the  most  showy  females 
by  breeding  from  males  whose  big  combs  were  loose  in 
fiber  and  fell  somewhat  limp  "to  one  side."  This  we  note 
is  now  practiced  by  some  English  breeders  of  Minorcas, 
but  we  do  not  believe  it  is  practiced  to  any  extent  by  our 
Leghorn  breeders  in  America. 

The  modern  sized  female  Leghorn  comb,  to  be  cor- 
rect, should  stand  nearly  erect  in  front,  including  the  first 
point,  the  remainder  of  the  comb  drooping  gracefully  to 
one  side.  Following  are  some  of  the  chief  requirements 
to  be  sought  in  a  female  Leghorn  head:  A  proud  pose; 
brightness  of  eye;  graceful  curves  of  the  lines  of  the  head, 
comb,  wattles,  lobes  and  beak;  proper  joining  of  the  head 
with  neck;  finest  in  the  surface  of  the  face,  comb,  wattles 


odel  in  1901  but   would   not  be  today.     No.  2S  was  a 


the  comb,  however,  is  excessively  rough  grained  and  the 
points,  although  five  in  number,  are  not  well  defined  in 
shape.     The  lobes  are  more  oblong  than  "almond"  shaped. 

The  cockerel  winning  first  at  Boston,  1907,  No.  14, 
Group  3,  also  belonged  to  Elm  Poultry  Yards.  He  was 
a  male  of  extreme  curves  and  sprightliness.  He  had  one 
of  the  most  crescentic  formed  backs  and  saddles  that 
could  be  imagined.  The  third,  fourth  and  fifth  points  of 
the  comb  are  nicely  formed,  but  the  first  two  front  points 
are  not  good  and  the  rear  blade  droops  somewhat,  being 
too  close  to  the  head.  The  wattles  and  ear-lobes  are  a 
little  too  short  to  balance  the  height  of  the  comb.  Alto- 
gether, however,  it  is  a  neat  head. 

No.  16,  Group  3,  shows  an  elegantly  proportioned 
cockerel  that  won  first  at  New  York  in  1907,  and  that  the 
judge  claimed  was  the  most  typical  Leghorn  male  he  had 
ever  seen.  This  head  shows  beautiful  proportions  and  it 
would  be  difificult  to  criticize  it,  except  on  the  first  two 
points  of  the  comb.  These  are  not  properly  separated  and 
the  coarseness  of  the  fleshy  lumps  where  the  wattles  join 
the  mouth,  is  objectionable.  This  last  is  a  point  often  over- 
looked, but  one  that  may  detract  from  the  expression  of 
an  otherwise  fine  head.  It  is  often  found  on  Mediter- 
raneans with  large  combs  and  wattles. 

Heads  of  Winning  Female  Leghorns 

Although  the  "Little  Italian"  is  well  known  by  her 
head  gear,  these  adjuncts  vary  considerably  in  size  and 
form,  often  so  much  as  to  change  the  characteristic  ap- 
pearance to  those  who  are  not  familiar  with  the  styles  of 
head-dress  these  jaunty  birds  afifect. 

The  Standard  demands  a  comb  that  falls  to  one  side 


and  lobes;  correct  number  of  points  on  the  comb:  the 
manner  in  which  it  rises  in  front  over  the  beak  and  droops 
to  the  side. 

The  spirit  of  the  bird  has  much  to  do  with  her  show- 
ing a  fine  head  and  comb  to  good  eiifect.  Some  birds  are 
so  nervous  and  twitch  their  heads  so  constantly  that  an 
attempt  to  examine  it  while  a  bird  stands  in  its  cage  is 
well  nigh  useless.  Other  birds,  although  this  is  rarely  the 
case  with  healthy  Leghorns,  may  be  found  moping  in  the 
far  corner  of  their  cages.  To  find  them  alert  and  inter- 
ested in  every  passing  observer,  not  frightened  or  fidgety, 
but  posing  in  jaunty  self-consciousness,  is  pleasing  and 
this  style  should  be  encouraged  in  the  Leghorn. 

Nos.  18  and  19,  Group  4,  date  back  to  1902  at  Boston 
when  Chas.  J.  Fogg  won  all  four  firsts  in  the  open  classes. 
The  birds  were  fine  for  that  day,  truer  to  Leghorn  type 
than  those  that  had  been  winning  at  many  of  the  im- 
portant shows.  They  have  not  the  slender,  reachy  style 
of  neck,  but  show  daintiness  and  well-curvod  lines.  The 
comb  in  No.  18  is  a  little  thick  and  wrinkled  over  the  nos- 
trils. The  eyes  of  both  are  round  and  bright.  The  head 
of  each  is  well  rounded.  The  front  of  the  comb  of  No.  19 
takes  an  unusual  bend  toward  the  side  on  which  it  falls, 
as  if  originally  the  comb  had  started  to  turn  the  opposite 
way. 

In  1901  another  large  Leghorn  pullet,  No.  27,  Group 
6,  was  placed  before  me  as  a  model.  This  bird  was  some- 
what above  the  average  of  the  larger  Leghorn  females 
shown  today  and  was  looser  in  feather.  The  comb  had 
too  many  points,  and  after  falling  over  to  the  side  was 
inclined  to  turn  upward.  The  comb  is  too  large  to  suit 
present-day  breeders. 


THE   LEGHORNS 


79 


32.    3i 


No.  21  was  one  of  the  earliest  Leghorns  we  photo- 
graphed at  New  York.  This  picture  is  placed  in  this  col- 
lection to  illustrate  a  pose  peculiar  to  very  nervous  Leg- 
horns. The  neck  just  below  where  it  joins  the  head  is 
much  bent,  like  the  upper  part  of  the  letter  "S."  It  has  an 
excessive  arch  and  curves  in  at  the  throat  under  the 
wattles.  Nos.  24  and  28  illustrate  better  poses,  the  latter 
being  quite  the  correct  form. 

No.  20  shows  too  much  of  a  bend  at  the  juncture  of 
the  head  and  neck.  In  this  head  the  comb  is  nicely 
formed,  but  falls  too  limp  and  close  to  the  face. 

No.  31,  Group  7,  may  be  said  to  be  just  the  opposite 
from  the  two  preceding.  The  neck  is  too  straight  and 
stiff  where  it  joins  the  head.  The  pose  makes  the  bird  ap- 
pear proud,  but  it  lacks  the  desired  graceful  curves  over 
the  back  of  the  neck.  This  comb  is  about  right  in  size. 
It  has  an  unusually  large  lobe,  which 
when  smooth  and  as  good  as  in  this 
specimen  is  highly  valued. 

No.  34  shows  another  long, 
straight  neck,  longer  in  proportion  to 
the  bird  than  was  No.  31  and  the  neck 
is  rather  straight  in  front  as  well. 

Nos.  32,  33  and  34  show  nice 
small  combs  that  approach  Standard 
requirements.  When  viewed  from 
the  side  they  show  most  of  the  base 
of  the  comb  and  the  head.  No.  34 
shows     a     comb     that     rises     nearly 

"erect"  in  front,  while  No.  32  makes  a  mems,  inc 

gradual   curve    at    the    front    of    the 

comb,  the  points  continuing  the  curve  to  their  extent, 
giving  a  pretty  eflfect.  No.  33  has  a  very  small  comb  that 
droops  hardly  to  the  eye.  The  second  point  as  well  as  the 
first  is  nearly  upright.  This  head  and  neck  belong  to  one 
of  D.  W.  Young's  finest  breeders  and  most  noted  New 
York  winners.  She  was  a  hen  of  clear  cut  Leghorn  style 
and  exhibition  quality.  The  wattles  on  all  four  of  this 
group  are  of  show  room  fineness.  In  regard  to  form  of 
heads  and  beaks,  all  those  in  this  group  are  fine.  In  No. 
33  there  is  a  tendency  to  be  perhaps  too  fine,  or  "delicate" 
might  express  it  better. 

When  the  somewhat  larger  comb  is  produced  on  a 
Leghorn  female  that  shapes  itself  into  a  graceful,  almost 
faultless  form  and  shows  perfect  color  in  the  show  room, 
on  an  extra  fine  bird,  it  is  very  apt  to  receive  its  share  of 
admiration  and  perhaps  the  first  ribbon  of  honor.  The 
small  single  head  with  the  initial  "T"  is  a  specimen  of  this 
type  that  won  first  for  D.  W.  Young  in  1908-1909  at  New 
York.  There  is  a  persistent  feeling  among  poultrymen, 
which  comes  no  doubt  from  experience,  that  these  beauti- 
ful large  combs  when  they  appear  in  a  standard-bred 
strain,  are  an  indication  of  unusual  vigor  in  the  egg-pro- 
ducing organs.  Many  experienced  breeders  assert,  how- 
ever, that  their  birds  with  small  standard  combs  keep  up 
to  the  highest  requirement  for  egg  production.  Personally 
we  cannot  help  admiring  such  a  comb  when  it  is  so  grace- 
fully formed  as  this  one  and  its  bright  color  serves  to  add 
gaiety  to  a  specimen  of  solid  colored  plumage.  The 
wattles  of  this  bird  are  larger  than  are  considered  ideal, 
but  they  are  in  harmony  with  the  size  of  the  comb  and  are 
quite  symmetrically  carried. 

No.  22.  Group  5,  won  first  as  pullet  in  New  York  1902; 
also  won  second  as  hen  for  Mr.  Young  in  1903,  again  in 
exhibition  pen  won  first  at  Boston,  1905.  As  a  pullet  her 
comb  was  quite  as  attractive  as  the  specimen  seen  in  the 
initial  letter.  Like  many  others,  when  she  aged,  the  comb 
grew  somewhat  coarse.     On  this  head  it  stood  very  well  in 


front,  even  when  grown  quite  large.  The  wattles  are  not 
large  enough  to  balance  the  comb  as  they  did  when  the 
bird  was  a  pullet.  The  comb  seems  to  have  outgrown 
them.  The  lobe  turns  squarely  instead  of  being  nicely 
rounded  at  the  lower  edge.  The  head  is  of  fair  length 
and  indicates  the  length  of  back  and  cushion  which  the 
hen  possessed.  She  carried  her  tail  moderately  low  as  a 
hen  and  transmitted  this  fashionable  quality  to  many  suc- 
cessful winners. 

No.  23  presents  a  front  view  of  a  comb  that  closely 
approaches  standard  description.  Some  fanciers  might 
desire  it  to  be  a  little  smaller,  but  this  style  is  very  attrac- 
tive on  exhibition  hens.  This  pose  was  photographed  when 
she  won  first  in  exhibition  pen  at  Boston.  Her  comb  shows 
just  five  well  defined  points.  The  front  was  well  up,  the 
remainder   bending  gracefully    over    and   not  falling    too 


close  to  the  face.  The  points  are  well  divided  and  nicely 
tapered.  The  front  point  is  not  so  well  shaped  as  it  might 
be,  being  too  blunt.  The  wattles  are  of  proper  size  to  go 
well  with  this  size  of  comb. 

No.  28,  Group  6,  is  another  of  Mr.  Young's  famous 
winners.  Three  times  she  won  first  at  New  York  and  once 
at  Boston.  She  was  a  hen  of  queenly  carriage.  Her  comb 
forms  almost  a  perfect  curve  over  the  top  as  it  droops  its 
five  regularly  formed  points.  This  comb  and  No.  23, 
Group  S,  are  types  that  a  breeder  can  depend  upon  to  pro- 
duce both  males  and  females  for  exhibition.  The  ear-lobes 
and  wattles  of  No.  28  are  well  set  on  and  nicely  formed. 
The  lobe  is  nearly  flat  and  free  fronm  wrinkles.  The  eye 
is  well  placed  and  rounded  in  shape.  The  head  is  deep  and 
well  set  on  a  neck  handsomely  posed.  The  carriage  of 
the  whole  head  is  typically  Leghorn  in  spirit. 

Nos.  26  and  29,  Group  6,  show  two  views  of  a  busi- 
ness-like looking  hen,  although  when  compared  with  such 
heads  as  Nos.  23  and  28,  her  head  fails  in  show  fluality.  In 
No.  26  there  is  lack  of  depth  of  head  and  face.  The  eye  is 
more  sunken  and  not  so  bold.  The  face  and  beak  are 
longer  drawn  out  and  the  comb  is  not  set  on  firmly,  show- 
ing a  weakness  in  the  form  of  wrinkles  over  the  beak 
and  breaking  down  at  the  rear  blade  instead  of  turning 
over  in  a  gradual  curve.  The  first  point  is  not  well  de- 
fined, taking  only  the  form  of  an  angle  and  the  third  and 
fourth  points  join  as  a  double  point..  The  wattles  drop 
too  straight  in  front  and  the  throat  looks  weak. 

No.  25,  Group  5,  is  not  unlike  No.  26  in  the  form  of 
the  head,  face  and  throat,  although  she  appears  stronger. 
The  comb  is  nearer  standard,  but  has  six  serrations  and 
points.  A  wrinkle  extends  across  the  wattle.  The  neck  is 
carried  with  less  grace  of  outline  than  shown  in  the  ma- 
jority of  this  collection.     It  looks  too  straight. 

Nos.  24  and  30  are  two  views  of  a  specimen  that  coulc? 
carry  herself  in  a  pleasing  fashion.  In  No.  24  she  show!» 
a  really  charming  pose.  The  points  of  the  comb  are  rathei 


80 


THE   LEGHORNS 


clumsy,  the  la^t  three  occupying  nearly  the  entire  top  of 
the  comb  and  it  all  falls  too  limp  and  close  to  the  head. 
The  wattles  are  smooth,  but  not  as  tidy  and  well  curved 
in  outline  as  they  should  be.  The  ear-lobes  drop  too  low 
and  pointed.  They  should  be  a  broadened-almond  shape, 
not  long  and  pointed  as  these  are.  The  neck  should  show 
nicer  curves  as  it  extends  to  the  head.  This  indifferent 
modeling  is  caused  in  a  degree  by  the  looseness  of 
plumage;  the  surface  of  Leghorn  plumage  should  be  firm 
and  smooth. 


After  studying  the  Leghorn  comb  we  conclude  that  it 
is  one  of  the  surest  trade-marks  of  high  breeding  to 
Standard  qualities,  and  this  index  of  health  and  pro- 
ductiveness is  worn  in  the  most  conspicuous  place.  The 
gay  color  of  the  comb  always  attracts  attention,  while  the 
comb  itself  is  often  one  of  the  first  points  of  consideration 
in  placing  awards,  hence  the  importance  of  maintaining  its 
beauty  and  establishing  its  regularity  of  size  and  form  ap- 
peals to  all  fanciers  who  strive  to  improve,  till  it  nears 
perfection,  the  widely  popular  and  profitable  Leghorn. 


RST    PKIZE    PEN   OF    WHITE  LEGHORNS  AT  NEW  YORK.  1907 


CHAPTER  V 


Buff  Leghorns  of  the  Past 

History  of  the  Early  Importations.     Improvement  in  Type  and  Color  Made  by  American  Fanciers.     Results 
Obtained  by  a  Pioneer  Breeder  and  Fancier  ■with  Imported  English  Leghorns. 

Professor  W.  P.  Wheeler 


Ix\  REGARD  to  the  Buff  Leghorns,  I  think  about  the 
first  shown  on  this  side  were  those  in  a  pen  at  New 
York  in  the  winter  of  1890-1891  (?)  These  August 
D.  Arnold  imported  from  a  dealer  in  England,  and  not,  I 
tliink,  a  breeder.  They  were  almost  anything,  however, 
except  buff.  That  year,  soon  after  the  show,  I  think,  he 
imported  much  better  birds— the  best  he  could  get  from 
Mrs.  Lister-Kay  and  others. 

In  1891  I  imported  from  the  yards  of  Mrs.  Lister- 
Kay,  a  male  and  two  females  (young  of  preceding  year) 
for  Mr.  Bishop  of  Verona, 


who  bred  Buff  Leghorns 
for  several  years,  but  did 
not  exhibit.  He  got  stock 
— or  rather  eggs — liber 
ally  from  Mr.  .\rnok'  that 
fii  St  year. 

As  you  might  expect 
very  few  real  Buffs  w  ere 
raised  anywhere  for  se\ 
eral  years.  Mr.  .\rnold 
imported  freely  for  a  few 
years,  bringing  over  in 
1892  some  of  the  best  ex 
hibition  females  he  could 
obtain,  and  a  few  exhibi- 
tion males.  His  later  im- 
portations were  alto- 
gether from  the  yards  of 
Mrs.  Lister-Kay,  I  be- 
lieve. 

In  1892  I  imported 
from  the  yards  of  Mrs. 
Lister-Kay  a  breeding 
cockerel  for  Mrs.  Wheeler 
— the  best  bird  for  breed- 
ing I  knew  of,  and  I  still 
think  about  the  best  then 
available  anywhere.  He 
was  a  very  dark  bird,  al- 
most red,  but  very  useful 
at  that  time,  being  of  solid 
color  and  fairly  even — a 
combination  of  not  any 
too  frequent  appearance. 
This  bird  was  mated  dur- 
ing the  early  part  of  1893 
with  hens  from  Mr. 
Bishop,  and    later    in    the 

season,  with  a  few  of  Mr.  .Arnold's  best  hens — Mr.  .Arnold 
and  Mrs.  Wheeler  both  hatching  chicks  from  this  mating. 
.\  few  very  good  colored  young  birds  were  grown  that  year, 
but  of  course  they  were  a  very  small  percentage  of  the  total. 

Early  in  1894  and  later  I  got  from  England,  for  Mrs. 
Wheeler,  three  more  females — one  of  them  a  Palace  win- 
ner of  a  cup  and  first  elsewhere,  an  exceptionally  fine  bird, 
although  better  from  the  English  point-of-view  than  from 
that  of  our  show  rooms.  This  hen  died  before  any  chicks 
were  secured  from  her,  unfortunately. 


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BUFF    LEGHORN    COCK 
One  of  the  best  colored  males  ever  exhibited  at  New 
■th  as  a  breeder,  being  the  sire  of  i 


We  did  not  go  outside  of  the  United  States  again  for 
stock.  I  helped  Mrs.  Wheeler  in  mating  and  looking  after 
her  birds  from  the  first,  and  later,  owing  to  Mrs. 
Wheeler's  ill  health,  have  taken  entire  charge  of  them. 
We  never  sold  any  eggs  and  have  sold  no  birds  for  many 
years.  We  have  kept  the  Buffs  as  pure  as  when  intro- 
duced into  the  United  States,  and  we  have  kept  them 
somewhere  near  the  upper  level  of  the  breed,  for  we  keep 
very  few  and  only  breed  from  a  small  pen  of  the  best  we 
have.  But  I  have  had  neither  the  time  nor  opportunity  to 
look  up,  always,  satisfac- 
tory birds  when  new 
Idood  was  needed,  so  have 
not  bred  every  time  as  I 
should  consider  best. 

Several  of  the  parents 
—three  generations  back 
— of  the  Buffs  I  first  im- 
ported were  brought  into 
England  from  Denmark, 
I  think,  about  1888.  These 
were  ancestors  of  Ar- 
nold's best  birds  also.  In 
the  earlier  breeding  of  the 
Buffs  the  best  colored 
birds  as  to  plumage,  came 
usually  with  willow  or 
greenish  legs,  or  were  of 
a  type  not  Leghorn,  with 
softer  feathering  and 
clumsier  shape.  Of  the 
progeny  those  most  typi- 
cal of  the  Leghorn  were 
given  to  an  excess  of 
white  in  plumage.  In  the 
earlier  breeding  the  males 
were  perhaps  better  than 
females,  except  for  the 
irreat  prevalence  of  white 
in  tail  plumage,  and  fewer 
.if  the  males  were  saved 
tor  breeders,  of  course.  It 
was  advised  by  Mrs. 
Lister-Kay  that  late 
hatching  be  practiced  in 
May,  which  was  late  for 
England,  as  the  chicks 
then  would  follow  more 
closely  the  better  color  of 
the  sire.  Results  were  generally  in  accord  with  this  ad- 
vice, I  believe,  and  I  suspect  still  hold  true  for  a  majority 
of  the  matings,  when  it  is  followed. 

Aside  from  their  interest  to  the  fancier,  the  Buffs 
were  popular  with  some  poultrymen  because  of  their  busi- 
ness capabilities.  The  Buffs  kept  by  the  late  Ezra  Cor- 
nell at  Ithaca  and  by  T.  E.  Sherman  at  Franklinville,  were 
good  egg  machines,  and  Mrs.  Wheeler's  birds  were  also. 
I  do  not  remember  how  Mr.  Arnold  found  them  in  this 
respect. 


Mating  for  Color  and  Shape 

Proper  Selection  of  Breeding  Stock  to  Produce  Exhibition  Bait  Leghorns. 
Au«ua<  D.  Arnold 


PERHAPS  no  breed  or  variety  of  fowls  ever  had 
so  much  opposition  as  had  the  Buff  Leghorn 
when  first  introduced  to  American  fanciers,  but 
today  they  stand  on  an  equality  with  their  cousins,  the 
Whites  and  Browns,  and  score  just  as  high  in  the  show 
room.  The  improvement  made  in  this,  variety  since  its 
advent  to  this  country  has  been  phenomenal.  No  one  has 
noticed  this  more  than  the  writer,  who  introduced  the  first 
of  the  birds  to  the  fanciers  of  America,  and  has  bred  and 
exhibited  them  for  nearly  ten  years. 

The  first  birds  of  the  variety  that  ever  set  foot  on 
American  soil  were  imported  by  the  writer  in  the  fall  of 
1890.  They  were  put  on  exhibition  for  the  first  time  at 
the  Hagerstown  fair  that  fall,  and  later  on  at  Madison 
Square  Garden,  New  York.  Some  fanciers  took  a  fancy 
to  them  and  predicted  a  warm  place  for  them  in  the 
hearts  of  the  American  fanciers,  while  others  saw  fit  to 
say  all  manner  of  evil  against  them.  Quite  a  number  of 
our  leading  fanciers,  however,  took  them  up,  paying  high 
prices  for  stock  and  eggs, 'and  were  willin.2-  tn  accept  what 


BUFF    LEGHORN    COCK,    1895 


One  of  the  early  type  ot  E-.ft  Leghorr 
heavy  body  and  large  comb  of  the  Englisl 
bred  and  exhibited  by  August  D.  Arnold. 
Leghorns  in  the  United  States. 


males,  excellent  In  color,  but  showing  the 
Leghorn.  The  bird  illustrated  above  was 
the   pioneer  importer  and  breeder  of  Buff 


was  on  hand  as  foundation  blood.  Most  of  the  birds  im- 
ported at  that  time  were  of  uneven  color,  and  possessed 
as  much  white  in  tails  and  wings  as  they  did  buff.  Many 
birds  had  blue,  and  others  willow  legs.  By  a  few  years' 
breeding  we  succeeded  in  getting  black  in  tails  instead  of 
white,  which  was  preferable  at  that  stage  of  the  breed, 
and  in  a  few  more  years  a  great  improvement  was  no- 
ticed in  color  of  wings  and  tail,  also  in  leg  color.  So  that 
today  there  are  some  specimens  that  come  near  perfec- 
tion. Much  work  is  still  on  hand,  however,  for  the  pro- 
gressive fancier  along  the  line  of  improvement. 

We  find  very  few  really  good  combs  in  this  variety, 
especially  in  males,  while  we  find  some  strains  that  are  off 
in  leg  color.  We  have  noticed  this  particularly  where 
undercolor  is  ignored.  If  you  would  keep  the  rich  yel- 
low leg  and  skin,  watch  the  undercolor  closely.  Short 
legs,  squirrel  tail,  and  under  size,  all  must  be  kept  out  of 
our  flocks;  yet  as  regards  size,  we  do  not  believe  in 
breeding  a  Leghorn  up  to  the  size  of  a  Minorca.  A  fair- 
=  i7ed  Leghorn  is  what  should  be  sought  after.  Great  care 
should  be  taken  so  that  two  light 
birds  may  not  be  mated  together; 
and  always  keep  in  mind  the  "cot- 
ton tails"  which  the  BufI  Leghorn 
was  so  apt  to  sport  when  first  in- 
troduced to  American  fanciers.  It 
is  much  better  to  breed  dark  birds 
together  than  light  ones.  Good  re- 
sults can  be  had  from  mating 
medium  colors  together  for  a  sea- 
son or  two,  but  it  is  safe  to  keep 
on  the  dark  side.  As  good  a  mat- 
ing as  we  know  of  is  a  lot  of  fe- 
males of  a  dark  buff,  with  a  male 
one  shade  darker.  When  we  say 
dark  buff"  we  do  not  mean  red, 
but  a  medium  dark. 

The  beginner  should  aim  to 
get  his  start  in  any  variety  from 
an  experienced  breeder  (one  who 
has  made  a  study  of  a  breed), 
knowing  that  culls  from  such  a 
breeder  are  worth  more  to  breed 
trom  than  the  best  birds  from  the 
\ards  of  a  breeder  who  has  had 
\  ery  little  experience  in  the  va- 
riety he  wishes  to  take  up.  He  will 
also  need  to  learn  that  off-colored 
chicks  will  come  from  the  best 
matings,  no  matter  how  much  ex- 
perience the  breeder  has  had.  This 
is  as  it  should  be,  for  if  every  bird 
raised  should  happen  to  be  a  per- 
fect bird,  the  fancier's  work  would 
soon  be  at  an  end.  The  scarcity  of 
the  diamond  has  much  to  do  with 
its  value. 

The  shade  of  buff  that  is  called 
for  by  the  Standard  is  what  so  few 
can  comprehend.  Even  judges 
seem  to  differ  on  this  point.  In 
our  minds  the  shade  of  buff  is  not 


THE   LEGHORNS 


of  such  great  importance,  as  long  as  it  does  not  prove 
either  of  the  two  extremes.  A  medium  buff  is  what  we 
should  strive  for.  Evenness  of  color,  too,  is  of  the  greatest 
importance;  all  sections  should  be  one  even  shade. 

Very  few  persons  who  now  have  the  pleasure  to  look 
at  the  beautiful  Buff  Leghorn  as  it  appears  in  our  leading 
shows  have  any  idea  of  the  cost,  patience  and  time  it  has 
taken  to  place  it  in  the  position  it  now  occupies  in  the 
poultry  world.  Pardon  us  for  saying  that  we  have  spent 
a  small  fortune  to  get  this  breed  before  the  fanciers  of 
this  country.     We  have  paid  out    many  hundred    dollars 


for  birds  we  imported,  having  paid  over  $800  for  eight 
birds  from  the  yards  of  Mrs.  Lister-Kay,  of  England,  be- 
sides buying  a  number  at  prices  running  from  $30  to  $75 
per  head,  and  nearly  one  hundred  additional  breeders, 
none  of  which  we  got  for  less  than  fifteen  dollars  per  head. 
In  conclusion  we  will  say  that  all  real  fanciers  should 
be  proud  of  the  success  that  has  crowned  the  efforts  of  the 
fanciers  in  America  in  improving  and  getting  this  valu- 
able variety  of  the  Leghorn  family  so  near  perfection.  We 
shall  feel  ever  proud  of  the  honor  of  introducing  the  beau- 
tiful Buff  Leghorn  into  this  country. 


Modern  Buff  Leghorns 


Their  Great  and  Growing  Popnlarity.     Excellent  Market  Properties.     Improvement   in  Type  and  Colo 
to  Feed,  Train  and  Condition  for  the  Show  Room. 


I  DO  NOT  think  there  is  any  variety  that  has  made 
such  rapid  strides  in  the  past  three  or  four  years  as 
the  Single  Comb  Buff  Leghorn.  Especially  during 
the  past  year  a  veritable  Buff  Leghorn  wave  has  swept 
the  country  from  coast  to  coast. 

In  corresponding  with  several  of  the  leading  special- 
ists, I  find  their  cases  the  same  as  my  own:  they  are  ab- 
solutely unable  to  fill  orders  for  eggs  and  breeding  stock, 
the  demand  far  exceeding  the  supply  in  all  instances.  I 
have  been  refusing  orders  for  the  past  three  months. 

Now,  fellow  fanciers,  "where  there's  smoke,  there's 
fire,"  and  where  there  is  a  demand  for  a  certain  variety  so 
large  that  orders  are  being  turned  away  the  country  over,, 
I  think  you  can  safely  say  this  particular  variety  is  mak- 
ing good  and  the  public  is  waking  up  to  the  fact  that  it 
has  been  losing  a  good  thing  and  it  is  -getting  busy  in 
order  to  procure  this  good  thing  as  soon  as  possible; 
hence  the  shortage. 

A  statement  of  some  of  the  qualities  on  which  we 
Buff  Leghorn  cranks  base  our  claims,  will  not  be  amiss. 

First,  they  are  the  hardiest  of  the  Leghorn  family, 
inheriting  a  rugged  constitution  from  their  birthplace, 
Denmark.  They  are  less  susceptible  to  the  general  ail- 
ments of  other  breeds  and  one  rarely  finds  a  bird  out  of 
condition.  They  mature  very  fast  and  if  hatched  by  hens 
are  soon  able  to  shift  for  themselves.  Both  as  chicks  and 
as  matured  fowls,  they  require  much  less  feed  than  the 
Whites,  Browns  and  other  varieties  of  Leghorns.  I  have 
found  that  they  will  lay  farther  into  the  molt  and  will 
start  sooner  when  coming  out  than  the  Whites.  It  is  an 
acknowledged  fact  that  they  will  breed  truer  to  color  than 
any  other  buff  variety.  For  broilers  "they  are  it,"  making 
a  one  or  one  and  one-half  pound  broiler  quicker  than  any 
variety  I  know  of.  They  dress  a  beautiful  shade  of  yel- 
low, so  much  desired  in  our  high-class  markets.  They 
lay  a  large,  pure-white  egg  and  "are  on  the  job"  month 
in  and  month  out.  Some  visitors,  when  here  buying  stock 
or  eggs  for  hatching,  have  said:  "I  do  not  wish  anything 
but  utility  stock,  for  I  have  been  told  exhibition  birds  do 
not  lay  as  well,  being  bred  too  fine." 

For  answer  I  take  them  to  my  breeding  house  and 
show  them  the  egg  record  of  my  first  Buff  Leghorn  pen 
at  Madison  Square,  1909.  There  are  six  females  in  the 
pen  and  in  the  month  of  March  they  laid  130  eggs.  Need- 
less to  say,  I  usually  make  a  sale  of  exhibition  stock. 

There  are  two  things    which    Buff  Leghorn  breeders 


have  to  improve;  first,  head  points;  second,  tail  carriage. 

Going  through  this  class  at  New  York,  Philadelphia 
and  Boston,  you  find  the  males  very  apt  to  be  coarse  in 
comb.  They  are  large  and  beefy  and  the  back  of  blade 
falls  over;  they  also  show  heavy  thumb  marks.  The  tail 
carriage  is  apt  to  be  too  high  and  the  tail  not  fully  fur- 
nished, having  a  pinched  look.  I  would  like  to  say  here 
that  I  am  not  in  favor  of  the  other  extreme,  i.e.  the  tail 
carried  almost  horizontal  with  the  back.  I  believe  there 
is  a  happy  medium,  and  when  we  have  our  males  with 
tails  horizontal  with  their  backs  we  are  getting  away  fromi 


r~':^4^^!^ 


i 


FIRST  PRiIe  hen  AT  BOSTON  SHOW  1910, 
5HAPE  ANb  COLOR  SPECIAL'  PREh  Si  OVNEb  BY 
MONMOUTH  POULTRY  FARMS  FRENEhU  N- J- 


The  Buff  Leghorn  hen  illustrated  above  distinguished 
lerself  by  winning  both  the  color  and  shape  specials 
It  Boston,   1910. 


THE   LEGHORNS 


the  true  Leghorn  type.  For  myself,  I  think  the  ideal  car- 
riage is  a  trifle  less  than  forty-five  degrees.  That  is  what 
I  am  trying  to  produce  in  my  males. 

We  cannot  be  too  particular  in  mating,  for  on  this 
•depends  the  success  or  failure  of  a  breeding  season.  It 
is  much  better  to  have  three  breeders,  all  having  the  re- 
quired points,  than  ten  in  your  yard  with  ofif-colored  feath- 
ers, bad  combs  and  general  defects.  There  are  two  con- 
siderations to  have  constantly  in  mind — type  and  color. 
Select  your  male  which  is  to  head  your  pen  and  have  him 
as  near  the  Standard  as  possible.  A  good  five-point  comb 
is  best;  not  having  this,  select  a  four-point  comb,  but  do 
not  go  below  four.  Have  the  comb  set  firmly  on  the  head 
so  it  will  not  tend  to  lop  and  avoid  thumb  marks.  Do  not 
have  the  comb  follow  the  neck,  but  stand  well  out  from 
the  head.  You  want  a  good,  full-rounded  breast  and  a 
nice  curve  from  base  of  comb  to  top  of  saddle  feathers 
and  then  following  with  easy  curve  over  with  sickle  feath- 
ers. Have  him  well  up  on  his  legs;  avoid  short  shanks, 
for  many  a  good  bird  otherwise  has  been  turned  down 
by  the  judge  on  this  account.  Never  pass  a  male  with  de- 
cided .white  showing  in  tail  or  wing  feathers;  a  little 
smoke   in   tail  is   not  a   bad  defect  in  the   breeder,   but   of 


iUFF    LEGHORN    COCKEREI 


A  Buff  Leghorn  male  of 


lear  tail  is  the  thing.  Have  as  deep  a  bay  eye 
as  possible.  An  even  shade  of  buflf  is  desirable  with  no 
decided  red  on  wing-bow  or  back.  Be  sure  to  keep  away 
from  the  red  shade,  as  so  many  breeders'  birds  of  true 
Leghorn  type  have  the  Rhode  Island  Red  color.  Now  se- 
lect your  females  to  fit  in  with  your  males  and  have  them 
strong  where  your  male  is  weak.  Be  sure  of  this  as  it  will 
help  to  counteract  his  faults  in  the  offspring.  Do  not  use 
females  having  shafting  or  those  much  lighter  or  darker 
than  the  male,  otherwise  mealiness  and  ofif-colored 
youngsters  will  be  the  result.  Have  their  combs  neat, 
folding  over  to  one  side,  and  their  tails  full  and  carried 
with  a  nice  sweep  from  the  back.  A  good,  full-tailed  fe- 
male is  a  great  asset  in  the  breeding  pen. 

With  these  facts  clearly  in  mind,  I  do  not  think  one 
can  go  far  wrong. 

Raising  Winners 
The  care  of  the  young  stock  is  of  great  importance.  ! 
believe  the  conditioning  of  a  show  bird  should  start  when 
it  leaves   the    shell,   not  two   or  three    weeks    before    the 
show. 

Buff  youngsters  demand  shade  and  plenty  of  it.  If 
they  are  exposed  to  the  summer  sun  day 
in  and  out,  when  matured  they  will  have 
a  faded  look,  not  having  the  same  lustre 
as  chicks  that  have  had  shade  and  green 
runs  in  which  to  grow.  Do  not  allow 
your  young  stock  to  be  chilled  or  over- 
heated, for  should  this  once  happen  they 
will  not  mature  the  way  they  should  and 
you  will  have  runts  and  sickly  birds  on 
your  hands.  Keep  them  scratching  all 
the  time:  better  have  them  a  bit  hungry 
than  fully  satisfied.  When  early  fall 
comes  select  your  choice  specimens  and 
put  them  by  themselves,  so  that  they 
will  not  run  any  chance  of  breaking 
feathers  or  getting  into  fights,  the  result 
being  torn  wattles,  marred  earlobes,  etc. 
Very  choice  birds — those  which  look  like 
the  "real  thing" — I  put  by  themselves  in 
nice  grassy  runs  with  plenty  of  shade. 
Only  by  these  careful  methods  can  one 
hope  to  win  the  coveted  blue  at  Madison 
Square  or  other  leading  shows.  Condi- 
tion is  half  the  battle. 

Care  of  Old  Stock 

The  care  of  your  old  stock  is  just 
about  as  important.  As  soon  as  the 
breeding  season  is  over,  I  take  the  males 
away  and  put  them  in  a  house  which  I 
have  built  especially  for  them.  Each  has 
a  nice  grassy  run  which  is  entirely  cov- 
ered by  burlap  so  the  sun  cannot  reach 
him.  There  is  a  small  roosting  room 
.^x4  feet  with  a  burlap  window.  A  three- 
foot  board  fence  separates  the  runs  so 
they  cannot  fight  over  it  and  injure  each 
other.  A  foot  wire  is  on  these  boards 
and  all  the  top  is  covered.  Their  legs 
are  looked  after  each  week,  so  as  to 
keep  the  scales  soft  and  in  good  condi- 
tion, in  order  that  they  may  shed  them 
easily.  With  this  careful  attention  your 
old  stock  will  be  as  fresh  and  will  have 


THE   LEGHORNS 


as   tine  an   appearance   as  your  youngsters   when   fall   ar- 
rives. 

Your  choice  females  should  be  treated  in  the  same 
manner.  From  what  I  have  seen  I  am  sure  that  many 
breeders  neglect  this  careful  handling  of  old  stock  when 
the  breeding  season  is  over. 

Conditioning  for  the  Show  Room 

The  conditioning  of  Buff  Leghorns  for  our  big  shows 
begins  when  the  chicks  leave  the  shell;  with  the  old  stock, 
when  the  breeding  season  is  over.  Chicks  hatched  from 
prize  matings — they  are  the  ones  from  which  you  expect 


FIRST  PRllE  auFF  LEGHORN  COCKEREL, WINNER  OF 
SHAPE  &  COLOR  SPECIAL, MADISON  SQUARE  GARbEN  1910. 
Bred   g^Owrvecj.  E,-, 
Wm.  H-HEIL-  R-F-l3-tt3.      EASTON    PA- 


A  beautiful  Buff  Leghorn  male  in  color,  being  an  even 
golden  buff  over  neck,  back  and  wing-bows;  tail  and  wing 
feathers  solid  buff.  In  shape  this  bird  is  excellent,  coming 
very  close  to  the  advanced  type  of  the  modern  White  Leg- 
horn male. 


your  next  season's  winners — ought  to  have  extra  care  as 
soon  as  hatched.  Put  a  hen  with  some  young  ones  in  a 
large  grassy  run  with  plenty  of  shade,  for  Bufifs  must 
have  grass  to  run  on  and  plenty  of  shade — the  grass  to 
keep  their  legs  yellow  and  in  good  condition  and  the  shade 
so  they  will  not  be  bleached  out  when  fall  comes. 

When  the  chicks  are  about  four  months  of  age,  se- 
lect the  choicest  specimens  and  put  them  by  themselves. 
Do  not  allow  a  very  promising  cockerel  to  run  with  a 
large  number  of  males,  as  he  is  likely  to  lose  a  sickle,  have 
an  ear-lobe  torn  or  some  such  accident  which  would  mar 
him.  Separate  your  pullets  and  cockerels  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible. When  the  show  season  comes  around,  select  the 
pullets  and  cockerels  which  you  have  had  in  mind  and  put 
them  in  your  conditioning  room,  selecting  three  or  four 
more  than  the  number  you  intend  to  show;. as  often  one 
or  more  birds  will  go  back  at  the  last  moment  and  then 
you  will  be  short  a  male  or  a  female.     I  usually  put  my 


birds  up  a  week  before  the  show,  as  I  find  in  that  time  I  car> 
have  a  bird  about  right.  Begin  by  walking  past  the  cage 
and  speaking  to  the  birds.  Do  not  start  at  once  to  handle 
them,  for  if  thoroughly  frightened  at  the  start  it  is  a  hard 
matter  to  train  them  and  training  is  half  the  battle.  When 
they  become  accustomed  to  your  presence  and  voice,  stop 
in  front  of  the  cage  and  pass  your  hand  over  the  outside 
until  they  become  quiet;  then  open  the  door  and  gradu- 
ally get  your  hand  near  them.  After  awhile  they  will 
allow  you  to  smooth  them  and  then  I  begin  the  course  of 
posing;  that  is,  having  them  stand  wherever  you  place 
them  with  the  head  in  any  position  you  wish.  You  would 
be  surprised  how  much  little  things  count  with  a  judge.  A 
well-trained  bird  often  catches  the  judge's  eye,  even  if  it 
is  a  bit  inferior  to  the  one  in  the  next  coop  that  is  un- 
trained. 

The  toilet  of  your  birds  is  a  most  important  factor. 
I  spend  one-half  hour  each  day  on  each  bird.  With  a  silk 
handkerchief,  beginning  from  the  base  of  the  comb,  I  rub 
down  with  easy  motion,  covering  every  portion  of  the 
bird.  By  the  week's  end  the  bird  has  a  beautiful  luster. 
The  legs  are  washed  several  times  and  every  particle  of 
dirt  is  taken  from  beneath  the  scales.  A  very  little  sweet 
oil,  with  a  few  drops  of  turpentine,  is  used  to  rub  the  legs 
after  each  washing.  This  brings  out  the  rich  yellow.  Be 
careful  not  to  rub  too  far  up  on  the  shanks  and  stain 
the  feathers. 

Before  shipping  look  over  the  shanks  and  webs  well 
for  stubs.  Treat  the  comb  with  a  very  little  oil  and  then 
rub  it  well.  Before  putting  the  birds  in  the  shipping  coops 
I  give  each  a  two-grain  quinine  pill.  I  find  this  is  ex- 
cellent to  ward  off  colds.  The  shipping  coops  aie  made 
of  light  wood  and  the  inside  is  lined  with  muslin  to  keep 
off  drafts  or  any  dirt  which  may  sift  through  the  cracks. 
Muslin  also  covers  the  top  under  the  top  slats.  One  can- 
not be  too  careful  of  birds  in  transit. 

Feeding  Show  Birds 

The  feeding  of  your  birds  while  in  training  quarters 
is  quite  a  problem.  I  give  them  three  meals  a  day.  The 
morning  meal  is  a  little  scratching  feed.  At  noon  they 
get  a  mash  just  moistened  with  scalded  milk,  at  night, 
cracked  corn.  During  the  day  when  training  them  I  give 
small  bits  of  fresh  meat  or  some  green  food.  You  will 
find  they  will  always  be  at  the  door  expecting  this  or  that 
dainty.  Never  leave  food  in  the  cups.  Give  them  a  cer- 
tain time  to  clean  up  their  feed  and  if  any  is  left  take  it 
away.  Many  a  bird  has  gone  stale  on  his  feed  by  having 
it  left  before  him. 

Conditioning  Old  Stock 

Now  a  few  words  about  conditioning  the  old  stock. 
As  soon  as  the  breeding  season  is  over  I  take  the  males 
out  of  the  breeding  pens  and  put  them  in  a  cockerel 
house.  Each  pen  has  a  grassy  run  and  the  top  is  covered 
with  burlap  so  the  sun  cannot  get  on  them.  During  the 
time  they  remain  in  this  house  their  legs  are  treated  each 
week  in  order  to  keep  them  in  good  condition  and  to 
make  it  easy  for  them  to  shed  their  scales.  The  prize 
hens  are  treated  in  the  same  way  and  when  fall  arrives 
and  you  take  the  males  and  females  out  of  summer  quar- 
ters you  have  birds  with  beautiful  plumage,  not  bleached 
out  by  the  sun,  with  legs  in  fine  shape  and  in  sound 
physical  condition. 

The  toilet  of  the  old  stock  while  in  the  conditioning 
room,  is  the  same  as  that  of  the  youngsters. 


>0LCE:T;plRST,NE:VVY6RKn)eCig<57-  "  rCoCRTFlRSrwrnHERTATSOBWH- 19«7-     HfcM  ,  F-IR5T  prize  wiHMtR.ftUBURHl 
.^•WmntR  OP- HRST  PRIZE- •                     '      StCoMDPRlZ6,NEW YORK,D&C1907.         ittont)  wiMHtR  AT  N&W  YORK-DfcClS 
-'iTOM.19o5''                                              Ll  WrNNfcR  op- TMIRB. AT  Boston, 1905-       and  StConD  AT  BOSTOW*  ».^08  • 
.       RoDNErY  A-KINAPP  ■  BlMCiHAM-T  ON  .  M-V-  


Trio  of  Buff  Legfiorn  Winners. 


Buff  Color  Breeding  Problems 

Looking  to  Nature  for  Instruction  in  Breeding  Buff  Plumage.     Too  Much  Importance  Attached  to  Undercolor. 

E2:ra  Cornell 


MY  EXPERIENCE  with  Bufif  Leghorns  has  been 
entirely  different.  I  came  into  possession  of 
my  first  Buffs  more  by  the  result  of  Circum- 
stances than  through  any  real  desire  at  the  time  to  breed 
them.  They  were  an  inferior  lot  of  birds,  but  I  kept  them 
and  gradually  became  interested  in  the  breed.  I  bred  and 
exhibited  them  five  years  before  I  was  able  to  win  a  single 
first  prize  with  them  at  New  York.  It  probably  cost  me 
more  to  improve  these  birds  than  it  would  to  have  started 
as  I  did  with  the  Whites,  but  on  the  other  hand  I  un- 
doubtedly got  a  good  deal  of  experience  in  breeding  them 
that  I  would  not  otherwise  have  gotten,  so  it  is  a  ques- 
tion, after  all,  which  of  the  two  ways  of  starting  is,  in  the 
long  run,  the  cheaper  and  better  for  a  beginner. 

What  I  have  written  on  Whites  relates  equally  well 
to  Buffs,  excepting  of  course  the  refernce  to  color  of 
plumage.  First  let  us  see  what  the  standard  requires  for 
the  female  plumage.  "Surface  color  throughout  one  even 
shade  of  rich  golden  buff,  f:ee  from  shafting  or  mealy  ap- 
pearance, the  head  and  neck  plumage  showing  a  metallic 
lustre  of  the  same  shade  as  the  rest  of  the  plumage; 
undercolor  a  lighter  shade  as  free  as  possible  from  all 
foreign  color.  Other  things  being  equal,  the  specimen 
showing  richest  undercolor  shall  receive  the  preference." 
The  best  buff  color  to  be  found  today  is  on  the  Buff 
Leghorn  females.  No  other  breed  of  Buffs  is  so  absolutely 
free  from  all  foreign  color  or  possesses  a  more  even  shade 
of  buff.  The  Buff  Leghorns  have  more  of  a  metallic 
lustre  than  the  other  Buffs,  which  gives  them  a  slightly 
different  appearance,  but  it  is  due  to  their  having  harder, 
closer  fitting  feathers.  Many  breeders  have  been  much 
retarded  in   getting  a   fine   plumage  by  laying  altogether 


too  much  importance  on  undercolor.  They  would  have 
been,  in  many  cases,  far  better  if  they  had  never  consid- 
ered undercoloi  at  all.  A  bird  with  a  smoky  or  foreign 
undercolor  should  be  discarded,  but  aside  from  this  it  is 
hardly  worth  considering.  The  best  Buff  Leghorn  fe- 
males I  have  ever  seen,  both  for  exhibition  and  breeding, 
have  had  the  lightest  undercolor.  The  Standard  says, 
"Other  things  being  equal,  the  specimen  showing  the 
richest  undercolor  shall  receive  the  preference."  (The 
word  "richest"  is  usually  translated  in  this  case  to  mean 
darkest).  This  may  be  all  right,  but  be  absolutely  sure 
that  other  things  are  equal  before  giving  a  deep  under- 
color any  preference  or  consideration. 

Leghorns  have  comparatively  hard,  close  fitting 
feathers.  In  such  feathers  the  coloring  matter  always  con- 
centrates in  the  surface  or  harder  part  of  the  feather;  this 
is  according  to  nature  and  you  cannot  change  it.  Look 
at  some  of  our  most  highly  colored  wild  birds — the 
Scarlet  Tanager,  the  Oriole,  or  even  the  Canary,  and  you 
will  find  an  undercolor  which  appears  white  in  compari- 
son to  the  surface.  Take  these  same  brilliant  feathers 
and  lay  them  in  the  sunlight  over  a  darker  undercolor  and 
you  will  deaden  the  color.  The  rays  of  light  pass  through 
the  surface  plumage,  and  on  striking  the  light  undercolor 
are  reflected,  much  intensified,  which  gives  the  plumage 
its  extreme  brilliancy;  whereas  if  the  rays  of  light  on 
penetrating  the  surface  were  to  strike  a  dark  undercolor, 
they  would  be  absorbed  and  the  surface  color  deadened. 
There  are  three  ways  of  deepening  undercolor,  all  of  which 
are  undesirable  in  the  case  under  discussion.  First,  by 
deepening  the  surface  color,  which  is  merely  overloading 
the  plumage  with  coloring  matter;   second,  by  loosening 


THE   LEGHORNS 


up  the  feathers  and  getting  a  more  Huffy  phiniage;  third, 
by  getting  a  mealy  surface;  which  is  nothing  more  oi  less 
than  a  separation  of  the  primary  colors  which  combine  to 
make  buflf  and  which  must  be  thoroughly  blended  if  you 
are  to  get  a  good  buflf.  That  I  have  just  written  applies 
especially  to  the  females;  the  males  have  a  deeper  under- 
color, but  it  is  not  so  apt  to  be  solid.  Cockerels  are  some- 
times found  with  some  white  in  undercolor  of  hackle, 
which,  as  the  bird  grows  older,  will  probably  appear  on 
the  surface.  A  male  bird  should  have  sound  undercolor. 
This  is  important,  although  it  makes  little  difference 
whether  it  i^  light  or  dark.     The  sliade  will,  as  a  rule,  cor- 


respond with  and  depend  on  the  shade  of  the  surface 
color.  Many  of  our  best  Buff'  Leghorn  males  for  stock 
purposes  have  a  rather  dark,  a  smoky  color  in  the  hidden 
web  of  the  main  tail  feathers.  Many  seem  to  think  that 
this  is  essential,  although  I  can  see  no  reason  for  it;  some 
of  my  birds  have  it  and  some  have  not.  I  am  unable  as 
yet  to  say  whether  it  is  of  any  importance  or  not,  but  if 
a  bird  is  otherwise  good,  I  care  but  little  whether  or  not 
he  has  a  slight  smoky  cast  in  the  hidden  web  of  the  main 
tail  feathers.  The  best  Buff  Leghorns  I  have  owned  and 
known  have,  like  the  Whites,  been  produced  by  Standard 


Buff  Leghorns  for  Show  and  Table 


[nbreeding  Necessary  to 


JUST  a  few  words  to  the  beginner  in  breeding  Buff 
Leghorns.  First  get  good  stock  or  eggs  from  a 
reliable  breeder  for  your  foundation.  If  you  start 
right  you  will  go  right.  In  mating  up  your  pens  for  breed- 
ing, first  pick  out  a  good  male  bird  with  an  even  golden  buff 
surface  color  with  some  bronze  feathers  in  tail  color,  the 
bird  to  carry  tail  rather  low;  comb  as  near  five  points  as 
you  can  get  it,  with  broad  base  and  standing  erect,  back 
of  comb  to  be  well  clear  of  neck;  lobes  white  and  as  free 
from  red  as  possible;  also  a  good  yellow  leg  and  the  bird 
to  stand  well  up  on  his  legs.  We  cannot  get  all  the  good 
points  in  one  bird,  but  we  must  get  as  near  as  we  can  and 
then  make  up  the  defects  with  the  females.  I  like  to  breed 
from  birds  with  clear  buff  wings,  and  hackle  clear  golden 
buff  clear  down  to  the  skin,  then  you  may  expect  good 
young  stock  and  you  will  not  be  disappointed.  In  picking 
out  the  females  to  go  with  this  male  get  them  as  near  an 
even  color  like  the  breast  of  male,  with  good  combs  and 
lobes  and  yellow  legs;  wings  clear  buff,  but  if  you  are 
breeding  to  a  light  colored  male  some  dark  bronze  in 
wing  feathers  will  do  all  right,  in  fact  it  is  best  to  breed 
both  ways;  in  using  two  pens  a  person  can  do  that.  Now 
the  females  to  go  with  the  dark-tailed  male  may  have  the 
tips  of  tail  feathers  a  very  light  buff,  almost  white.  I  like 
a  good,  deep  undercolor  in  females,  and  in  the  dark  male 
a  very  strong  undercolor.  In  using  females  with  some 
very  light  buff  feathers  in  tail  tips  I  keep  the  smut  away 
and  produce  the  rich  golden  buff.  When  you  have  a  pen 
of  good  old  birds  keep  them  to  breed  from  and  save  some 
of  your  very  best  pullets  each  year  to  breed  from  after 
they  are  a  year  old,  then  you  will  get  good,  strong  chicks 
and  eggs  that  will  hatch  in  the  incubator.  By  the  way, 
that  is  the  way  to  hatch  chickens  and  beat  the  lice,  but 
you  must  go  still  further  and  raise  your  chickens  in  a 
brooder.  So  many  people  make  the  fatal  mistake  of  giv- 
ing the  chicks  over  to  the  hens  to  raise;  do  not  do  it.  We 
have  not  had  to  use  any  kind  of  louse  destroyer  now  for 
two  years,  and  my  birds  are  free  from  lice.  We  do  not 
let  a  hen  sit  on  a  nest  over  night,  but  provide  good  dust 
baths  for  them,  and  they  will  take  care  of  themselves.  If 
you  have  a  good  male  bird  that  just  suits  you  and  you 
want  to  stamp  his  good  qualities  upon  your  flock,  breed 
him  back  on  his  pullets,  even  to  the  third  generation.  I 
have  the  finest  male  bird  I  ever  saw,  and  have  refused  a 
very  high  price  for  him  several  times;  he  wins  first  money 
wherever  shown;  he  is  just  a  grand  bird,  and  I  have  bred 
him  back  to  his  pullets  to  the  third  generation,  and  his 
get  have   always   won   their   share   of  prizes   and   the   top 


Fix   Desirable  Characteristics.     Teniperament  of  Birds  Depends  Much  on 
Attendant.     Details  in  Breeding  for  Exhibition. 
William  H.  Bushell 

prizes  at  that.  This  year  is  a  surprise  to  me  and  all  the 
breeders  who  visit  my  yards.  The  young  stock  are  even 
in  color  with  good  Leghorn  shape,  and  very  few  culls.  We 
cannot  get  enough  culls  for  our  table.  Some  people  claim 
that  Leghorns  are  wild,  that  you  cannot  keep  them  inside 
a  ten-foot  high  fence;  I  keep  mine  inside  a  four-foot  fence. 
It  is  the  people  who  handle  the  birds  that  are  wild.  Go 
among  your  birds  quietly  and  feed  them  out  of  your  hand 
little  knick-knacks.  Teach  them  from  the  start  that  you 
do  not  intend  to  hurt  them,  and  do  not  try  to  catch  them 
to  show  to  everybody  who  comes  your  way.  If  you  take  a 
stranger  into  your  yards  with  you,  you  go  first  and  take 
some  food  they  are  fond  of,  and  get  your  chicks  all  around 
you  and  show  the  people  how  nice  and  tame  your  birds 
are. 

Now  a  few  words  about  Buff  Leghorns  as  winter 
layers.  I  consider  them  the  best  winter  layers  we  have 
had.  To  get  eggs  in  winter,  in  the  first  place  you  need  a 
good,  tight  house  and  plenty  of  room  for  them,  with  a 
scratching  room  partitioned  off,  and  a  dust  room.  I  give 
fifty  pullets  a  house  eight  by  twenty-four  feet,  divided  into 
roost  room,  scratching  room,  and  dust  room.  I  renew 
the  straw  once  a  week  in  the  scratching  room,  and  I  do 
not  let  my  birds  go  outdoors  all  winter.  After  they  are 
housed  a  week  they  stop  fretting  and  start  to  laying.  If 
you  let  them  run  out  every  good  day,  and  shut  up  stormy 
days  it  keeps  them  restless,  but  to  keep  them  shut  up  all 
the  time,  they  lay  regularly.  We  feed  wheat  in  the  morn- 
ing and  raw  vegetables  at  noon  and  a  mash  of  coarse 
beans  and  oats  and  some  wheat,  mixed  with  a  pint  of 
meat  meal  to  fifty  hens.  This  we  scald  at  noon  and  feed  at 
night.  We  scatter  a  few  handfuls  of  millet  seed  in  the 
straw  once  a  day,  also  feed  some  alfalfa  hay  or  clover 
twice  a  week,  and  give  warm  water  to  drink.  One  thing  I 
do  like  about  the  Leghorn  pullets  is,  the  more  you  fuss 
with  them  in  the  winter  the  more  eggs  you  will  get.  I  do 
not  think  you  can  get  a  Buff  Leghorn  pullet  too  fat  if  you 
will  see  that  they  keep  their  food  eaten  up  clean.  You 
need  not  worry  about  not  giving  them  a  light  feed  at 
noon.  My  observation  is  with  them  if  you  want  eggs  feed 
for  th^m  and  keep  the  house  just  warm  enough  so  the 
pullets'  combs  will  not  freeze,  and  my  way  to  do  that  is 
during  extreme  cold  weather,  shut  off  the  dust  room  part; 
that  makes  less  room  for  the  birds  to.  keep  warm.  Just  a 
word  about  the  table  qualities  of  the  Buff  Leghorn.  They 
are  not  surpassed  except  by  the  Indian  Game.  You  will 
never  tire  of  their  meat.  We  can  use  them  three  or  four 
times  a  week  and  still  be  chicken  hungry  for  the  next  one. 


CHAPTER  VI 


Black  Leghorns 

One  of  the   Most  Popular  Varieties  of  the  Leghorn  Family  in    Europe — There  it  is   Bred  Extens 
Production — Bred  Principally  for  Exhibition  Purposes  in  England    and  America. 


THE  following  brief  but  comprehensive  description  of 
Black  Leghorns  was  written  by  R.  C.  Haeger  and 
appeared  in  a  former  edition  of  "The  Leghorns:" 

'Black  Leghorns  were  first  imported  from  Italy  in 
1872  and  admitted  to  the  Standard  in  1876.  Although  not 
red  extensively  until  the  last  three  or  four  years,  still 
they  are  forging  their  way  to  the  front,  and  1  see  no  rea- 
son why  they  are  not  equal  to  any  of  the  other  Leghorn 
varieties,  while  in  some  things  I  think  they  surpass  all 
others.  Their  plumage  being  a  black  throughout  does  not 
soil  as  easily  as  that  of  any  other  color.  LTnlike  most  black 
fowls,  they  are  fine  for  table  use,  dressing  yellow,  and  the 
flesh  being  of  fine  quality. 

".As  to  fancy  Eoints,  the  Black  Leghorns  are  exactlj 
like  the  Browns  and  Whites  in  symmetry.  The  plumage 
should  be  a  glossy  black,  although  we  find  a  great  many  a 
dead  black,  which  should  suffer  a  cut  for  color.  Breeders 
should  be  careful  of  color  of  eyes,  because  I  think  Minorca 
1)loo.d  has  brought  in  not  alone  dark  eyes,  but  also  black 
shanks,  coarse  heads  and  shape  of  body.  What  would 
Franklane  Sewell  think  of  a  Langshan  with  a  bay  eye' 
Although  judges  do  not  cut  as  frequently  as  they  should 
on  color  of  the  eyes,  still  I  think  it  is  of  great  importance 

"Another  question  among  the  admirers  of  this  \a- 
riety  is,  color  of  shanks.  When  first  admitted  they  were 
to  be  yellow,  but  finding  they  could  not  get  as  bright  }  el- 
low  as  they  wished,  this  was  changed  to  the  black.  Then 
again  they  were  changed  to  yellow  or  yellowish  black, 
and  that  is  what  the  Standard  now  calls  for.  In  regard 
to  this  argument,  I  will  say  that  I  do  not  try  to  breed 
yellow  shanks,  first,  because  I  do  not  think  a  solid  yellow 
shank  belongs  with  a  black  plumage.  None  of  our  other 
Ijlack  varieties  call  for  yellow  shanks.  Then  why  call  for 
them  on  Black  Leghorns?  Second,  because  I  know  that 
nine-tenths  of  yellow-legged  Black  Leghorns  either 
throw  off-colored  feathers  while  chicks  or  when  they  molt 
out  as  fowls.  The  best  of  them  will  do  this,  and  that  is 
my  principal  reason  for  not  trying  to  breed  yellow 
shanks. 

"I  hold  that  the  only  color,  and  the  proper  color  for 
their  shanks  should  be  a  yellowish  black.  I  do  not  mean 
l)y  this  that  they  should  have  a  slaty  black,  but  a  bright 
yellowish  black  on  the  shank,  with  the  upper  side  of  the 
toes  and  the  lower  side  of  the  toes  and  feet  a  pure  yel- 
low. By  breeding  the  shanks  and  toes  this  color,  we  can 
keep  the  plumage  and  other  sections  where  they  belong. 

"I  think  this  question  ought  to  be  brought  before 
the  judges  as  well  as  the  breeders,  for  a  careful  consid- 
eration, as  hardly  two  judges  cut  alike  on  the  color  of  the 
shanks.  I  have  score  cards  by  several  of  the  best  judges, 
and  only  two  so  far,  have  taken  a  yellowish  black  as 
standard  color.  Some  would  cut  half  a  point,  while  the 
next  one  would  cut  one  and  a  half  points.  Now  while  the 
standard  calls  for  a  yellow  or  yellowish  black,  I  can  not 
see  why  a  yellowish  black  is  not  as  near  perfect  as  yellow 
but  there  are  judges  who  do  not  think  that  way. 

"I  would  like  to  hear  what  the  judges,  as  well  as 
breeders,  have  to  say  about   this,  as   it   should  be  settled. 


so  breeders  may  know  what  to  aim  for  in  breeding,  as 
well  as  to  know  what  to  bring  out  in  the  exhibition 
room." 

In  view  of  the  above  expressed  opinion  relating  to 
the  color  of  shanks,  it  will  be  interesting  to  read  what 
Adam  F.  Noll,  one  of  the  most  successful  breeders  of 
Black  Leghorns  in  America,  has  to  say  regarding  yellow 
shanks  on  Black  Leghorns.    Mr.  Noll  writes: 

"The  Black  Leghorn  when  first  discovered  had  dark 
or  wilhnv  shanks,  but  b3'  careful  breeding  they  are  today 


Reproduced  from  a  photograph  by  L.  P.  Graham.  The  male 
istrated  above,  while  rather  coarse  in  comb  and  lacking  a 
11  furnished  tail,  is  nevertheless  a  fine  type  of  the  variety, 
ling  most   excellent,   as  the  light   and   shade   of  the 


picti 


seen  with  solid  yellow  legs.  I  have  bred  them  for  nearly 
twenty  years  for  eggs  and  for  the  show  room  and  know- 
that  S.  C.  Black  Leghorns  are  one  of  the  best  varieties 
both  for  utility  and  show  room  bred  today.  They  are  a  va- 
riety that  do  as  well  in  confinement  as  on  free  range.  The 
cost  of  feeding  is  not  so  large  as  the  heavier  breed. 

"They  are  heavy  winter  layers  when  eggs  are  high  in 
price  and  make  a  good  plump  fowl  when  dressed  for  the 
table.  They  always  look  clean  in  the  pen,  for  being  black, 
they  do  not  show  dust  or  dirt  the  same  as  light  feathered 
fowl.     When  hatched  they  are  strong  and  healthy,  grow- 


i)0 


THE    LEGHORNS 


ing  rapidly  to  maturity,  will  have  wing  feathers  in  one 
week  and  start  to  lay  in  about  five  mouths,  a  nice  size 
egg  with  white  shell  and  good  flavor. 

"They  have  red  combs,  face  and  wattles,  pure  white 
almond  shape  lobes,  rich  glossy  black  feathers  and  bright 
yellow  legs,  a  sight  which  is  pleasing  to  the  eye,  so  you 
make  no  mistake  when  you  start  to  breed  Black  Leghorns." 

Black  Leghorns  in  England 

Rev.  T.  \V.  Sturges,  is  one  of  the  leading  authorities 
on  poultry  culture  in  England,  furthermore,  he  is  a  great 
admirer  of  the  Black  Leghorn  fowl  and  in  "The  Poul- 
try Manual"  the  newest  and  one  of  the  most  complete 
books  on  poultry  culture  befo.e  the  public  today,  Mr.  Stur- 
ges, the  author,  devotes  considerable  space  to  Black  Leg- 
horns from  which  we  take  the  liberty  of  reprinting  the 
following  pertinent  and  interesting  paragraph: 

"This  is  one  of  my  prime  favorites,  and  after  twelve 
years'  persistent  breeding  it  still  holds  first  place.  I  know 
of  no  other  variety  which  combines  so  many  good  quali- 
ties. It  is  still  a  popular  fowl,  and  though  it  has  suflfered 
like  many  others  from  the  fierce  competition  of  the  newer 
breeds,  it  still  holds  its  own. 

"Apart  from  its  beauty  as  a  study  in  broadcloth  and 
gold  like  a  gentleman  in  evening  attire,  it  has  an  elegance 
of  its  own,  and  is  as  typical  in  its  form  and  as  noble  in  its 
,  carriage  and  outline  as  any  of  its  numerous  relatives. 

"The  foundation  of  its  success,  however,  is  its  super- 
excellent  character  as  the  premier  egg-producer  of  today. 
It  would  not  be  difficult  to  raise  birds  which  would  average 
200  eggs  apiece  in  the  year,  and  I  have  often  had  individual 
birds  to  exceed  this  figure,  and,  next  to  the  Black  Minorcas, 
I  know  of  no  other  breed  which  lays  eggs  of  such  a  size, 


BLACK    LEGHORN    HEN 
Reproduced  from  a  photograph  by  L.  P.  Graham.    A  beauti- 
ful hen  in  head  points,  with  good  length  of  body,  well  set  tail. 
Plumage  a  lustrous  greenish   black. 


except  the  exhibition  White  Leghorn.  The  average 
weight  is  seven  eggs  a  pound,  and  often  six  will  weigh  as 
much.  It  is  true  they  are  white  and  have  to  overcome 
the  English  prejudice  for  tinted  eggs,  but  their  size  and 
quality  easily  accomplishes  this,  and  as  the  birds  are  as 
hard  as  nails,  and  will  lay  well  in  the  winter,  and  do 
well  in  confined  quarters,  they  lay  when  'eggs  are  eggs' 
and  in  great  demand. 

"That  they  can  hold  their  own  in  competition  with 
all  other  breeds  is  shown  by  the  fact  that,  at  our  great 
International  Show,  they  have  more  than  once  carried  off 
the  trophy  for  the  best  fowl  of  any  breed  in  the  compe- 
tition against  4,000  others  of  all  breeds  and  colors. 

Purity  of  Descent 

P       "The  Black  Leghorn  is  of  pure  Italian  blood,  and  has 
y  long  been  known   and   bred  in   Italy,  as  well  as   in   Ger- 
ymany,   Switzerland  and   Belgium.     Some   of  the   best  are 
found   today  in    Belgium,   while   the   rank   and    file   are   a 
common    sight   throughout    the     Continent.     They    were 
known   in   America  at   the   same   time  as   the   White   and 
Brown  varieties,  but  were  neither  'made'  nor  introduced 
to  us  from  there.     In   1881   I   saw  tfiem  by  the  thousand 
dotted  here  and  there  over  the  whole  of  Switzerland,  and 
again  in  1886,  in  Germany  and  Belgium  as  well.    Shortly 
after  this  period  they  were  known  and  exhibited  in  Eng- 
land, and  some  of  the  best  were  imported  from  Belgium. 
In  their  original  home  fanciers  are  few  and  far  between, 
and  the  birds  run  wild,  and,  for  the  most  part,  uncared  for. 
They  are  small  biids,  naturally,  under  such  conditions  and 
as  wild  as  sparrows,  but  prodigious  layers.    I  found  them 
{  in  all  altitudes,  from  the  borders  of   the    Italian  lakes  in 
\  perpetual   summer   to   the   highest  mountain   passes   amid 
'  1  the  eternal  snows,  and  they  seemed  to  thrive  alike  in  all. 
Their  Improvement 
"With  the  additional  care  and  feeding  bestowed  upon 
them  by  expert  fanciers,  and  care  in  selection,  they  soon 
began  to  put  on  extra  size  and  to  improve  in  color.    But 
many  of  them,  even  in  the  exhibition  pen,  had  dusky  legs 
and   stained   ear-lobes,   with  very   indifferent   head   points, 
while  neatly  all  the  males  showed  white  in  the  tail  sickles. 
As    classes    began    to    fill    better,  and    the    Blacks    began 
to    assume    gentlemanly    attire,     general    attention     was 
attracted  to  them,  and   fanciers  of  the  older  and  better- 
known  breeds  began  about  1900  to  take  them  up  and  set 
about  to  improve  them.     ****** 

"Character  and  type  were  lost  in  a  great  degree,  and 
this  has  been  most  noticeable  during  the  past  two  or 
tliree  years,  while  the  angularity  of  the  Minorca  has  dis- 
placed the  rotundity  of  the  Leghorn.  As  the  birds  gained 
ui  size  they  lost  much  of  their  alert  and  sprightly  car- 
riage, and  in^some  measure  their  hardiness.  Some  Blacks 
shown  last  year  almost  rivalled  the  White  Leghorns  in 
size.  This  is  a  pity,  and  if  continued  will  spell  decline,  if 
not  decay,  in  a  vigorous  and  useful  race. 

"So  far  as  I  know  the  infusions  are  all  of   Mediter- 

yi-anean   blood,   although   traces   of   feather    on    the    shank 

S  occasionally   point    to   a    touch    of   the    Langshan,   which 

'^may  have  crept  in,  mingled  with  the  Minorca  blood.   These 

^changes  are  only  confined  to  a  few  breeders,  and   Blacks 

of  the  true  Leghorn  type  are  still  found  in  hundreds  of 

fanciers'  yards.     The   Black  Leghorn  has  so  much  good 

in    its    foundation    qualities    that    all    that    was    necessary 

could    have    been    evolved   without    this    'haste-to-be-rich' 

admixture  and  care  will  have  to  be  taken  lest  the  essential 

features  die. 


Silver  Duckwin^  Leghorns 

One  of  the  Handsomest  and  Most  Useful  Varieties  of  the  Leghorn  Family. 
J.  H.  Drevensledt 


only, 

SINCE  their  introduction  in  the  United  States,  less 
than  twenty  years  ago,  Silver  Duckwing  Leghorns 
have  virtually  remained  at  a  stand-still,  as  far  as 
any  public  interest  in  them  is  concerned.  The  few 
breeders  in  this  country  who  bred  and  exhibited  Silver 
Duckwin^-  Leghorns  did  their  share  to  improve  the  va- 
riety to  a  point  where  in  characteristic  shape  and  grace- 
ful carriage,  they  rivaled  the  best  specimen  seen  in  the 
White  variety,  the  winning  females  at  New  York  being 
especially  fine  in  type.  But  notwithstanding  the  beauty 
of  form  and  color  markings,  they  never  became  as  popu- 
lar as  their  excellent  qualities  deserved. 

Of  their  early  history  in  America,  very  little  has  been 
said  or  written  since  their  appearance  in  the  show  room 
in  the  early  90's.  Mr.  J.  W.  Fiske  of  Passaic,  New  Jersey, 
one  of  the  pioneer  breeders  of  Silver  Duckwing  Leghorns, 
in  this  country  and  a  most  successful  exhibitor  of  them 
at  the  lea  ing  shows,  kindly  furnished  us  with  the  follow- 
ing data. 

"In  reference  to  the  Silver  Duckwing  Leghorns, 
would  say  that  in  October  1893,  I  purchased  four  Silver 
Duckwing  Leghorn  pullets  from  a  party  in  Massachu- 
setts. From  another  party,  whose  name  and  address  I 
cannot  recall  at  the  present  time,  I  purchased  a  Silver 
Duckwing  Leghorn  cockerel.  In  November,  1894,  I  pur- 
chased two  more  cockerels  from  a  party  by  the  name  of 
Hurd  in  Massachusetts  and  in  March,  1895,  one  cockerel 
from  a  party  by  the  name  of  Hanchett  in  Westfield,  Mass. 
My  experience  with  this  breed  has  been  quite  limited,  al- 
though I  had  quite  a  number  during  the  ten  years  that  I 
kept  them.  I  found  it  very  difficult  to  raise  first-class 
birds  and  thought  that  I  would  import  some  eggs  from 
England.  In  February,  1895,  I  ordered  three  dozen  eggs 
from  Mr.  H.  Hesford,  St.  Johns,  Eng.,  and  three  dozen 
from  Mr.  H.  Hinson,  St.  Ives,  Eng.  From  these  eggs,  I 
hatched  six  chickens;  three  only,  lived.  The  result,  of 
course,  was  very  discouraging  and  I  wrote  Mr.  Hesford 
and  he  sent  me  an- 
other sitting  of 
eggs,  but  only  two 
chickens  were 
hatched.  These  did 
not  amount  to 
much  and  both 
died  very  shortly,  I 
then  ordered  in 
October,  189  5,  a 
trio  of  Silver  Duck- 
wing Leghorns  and 
a  pair  of  Golden 
Duckwing  Leg- 
horns from  Mr. 
Hesford.  They 
were  leceived  in 
good  order.  I  ex- 
hibited a  pair  of 
Golden  and  a  pair 
of  Silvers  in  Bos- 
ton in  January 
SILVER  DUCKWING  LEGHORN  HEN  1896;  the  Golden 
A  very  good  model  of  the  active,  Duckwing  cockerel 
sprightly  type  of  Leghorn  female,  the 
body   lines   being   very   graceful. 


ake,  in  our  opinion. 

caught  cold  and  did  not  recover.  I  raised  quite  a  number 
of  Duckwings  and  disposed  of  nearly  all,  sold  quite  a 
number  of  eggs,  but  a  number  of  the  people  to  whom 
I  sold  the  eggs  complained  that  the  chickens  did  not 
show  good  color, 
when  matured.  I 
bought  the  entire 
stock  from  a  party 
by  the  name  of 
Fuller  in  Allen- 
town,  Pa.,  and  ex- 
hibited, from  time 
to  time,  in  Boston, 
New  York  and  lo- 
cal shows,  but  the 
competition  was 
not  very  keen;  not 
more  than  two  or 
three  at  the  most, 
competing.  I  prob- 
ably won  my  share 
of  blue  ribbons  and 
was  very  much  in- 
t  e  r  e  s  t  e  d  at  the 
time,  but    the    last 


JUN  COCK 


SILVER  DUCKWING 

.-  male  of  good  type,  but  does  not 
few  years  I  have  show  the  characteristic  Leghorn  car- 
,      ,  ,..^,     ,.  riage   of   the   body   and   neck,    owing   to 

had  very  little  time  the  rather  low  pose  of  the  bird  when 
to       devote       to    photographed. 

poultry  raising  and  sold  the  entire  lot  about  eight  years 
ago.  I  trust  what  little  information  I  have  given  you  will 
be  all  that  you  require  and  am  very  sorry  that  I  cannot 
give  you  a  better  account." 

Thomas  Peer,  Fairfield,  New  Jersey,  has  bred  Silver 
Duckwing  Leghorns  for  quite  a  number  of  years,  and 
being  a  successful  and  experienced  breeder  of  BuflE, 
Brown  and  White  Leghorns,  Mr.  Peer's  opinions  on  the 
comparative  values  of  the  different  varieties  are  entitled 
to  considerable  respect,  consequently  we  submitted  a 
number  of  questions  to  him,  to  which  Mr.  Peer  sent  the 
following  answers: — 

1.  How  do  Duckwings  compare  with  other  varieties 
of  Leghorns  as  layers? 

I  have  bred  White  Leghorns  and  Browns  and  Buffs 
and  1  know  from  my  personal  experience  that  the  Silver 
Duckvirings  are  just  as  good  layers  as  any  of  the  other 
varieties.  Mr.  E.  G.  Wyckoff  told  me  that  the  Silver 
Duckwings  were  the  best  layers  that  he  had  on  his  place. 

2.  Do  Duckwings  breed  true,  i.e.,  do  they  re- 
produce as  large  percentage  of  exhibition  males  and  fe- 
males as  Browns  or  Buffs? 

I  can  honestly  say  that  the  Silver  Duckwings  breed 
more  true  than  the  Buffs  or  Browns  and  produce  a  much 
larger  percentage  of  exhibition  males  and  females. 

3.  Is  it  necessary  to  use  double  mating  to  produce 
both  exhibition  cockerels  and  pullets  or  can  both  be  ob- 
tained from  single  matings? 

Last  year  I  used  double  matings,  this  year  I  did  not 
and  I  find  that  I  have  just  as  many  good  chicks  in  propor- 
tion to  the  number  hatched  as  I  had  with  the  double  mat- 
ing. 

91 


92 


THE   LEGHORNS 


4.  Do  you  think  it  correct  as  well  as  beneficial  to 
the  variety,  to  have  hackle  and  saddle  feathers  strongly 
striped  with  black? 

I  like  the  hackle  and  saddle  sections  strongly  striped 
with  black,  but  I  cannot  say  for  a  certainty  whether  it  is 
correct  and  beneficial  to  the  variety.  I  know  that  I  have 
a  larger  percentage  of  well  striped  ones  than  I  have  of 
those  that  are  not  well  striped. 

5.  Do  you  think  Duckwings  will  become  as  popular 
as  Browns  when  their  good  qualities  are  better  known 
than  they  are  now? 

Yes  I  think  Duckwings  will  become  as  popular  as 
the  Browns  when  their  good  qualities  are  better  known. 
They    certainly    are    very    pretty    and    will    average    more 


pounds  to  a  flock  than  most  any  variety  of  the  Leghorns. 
They  are  great  layers  and  great  foragers.  They  certainly 
are  a  fine  table  fowl  and  they  dress  nicely,  the  skin  being 
very  yellow. 

When  Mr.  Wyckofif  imported  the  Silver  Duckwings 
in  1905  or  '06  the  birds  were  very  coarse  in  comb.  Have 
overcome  that  fault  to  a  very  large  degree  so  that  now 
nearly  every  male  bird  has  a  small  and  perfect  comb. 

I  bought  eggs  from  Mr.  E.  G.  Wyckofi  at  $15.00  per 
sitting  and  from  this  stock  I  established  my  strain  which 
is  second  to  none  in  this  country.  My  stock  is  far  su- 
perior to  any  that  Mr.  Wyckofif  ever  had  and  I  know  that 
any  one  who  starts  in  with  the  Silver  Duckwings  will 
never  be  sorry. 


First  Exhibited  in  America  in 


Red  Pyle  Leghorns 

1900,  but  Bred  More  Extensively  Since   1909- 
Standard  Color.     Valuable  as  Egg  Producers. 

Georie  E.  Howell 


to  Mate    and    Breed  for 


IT  IS  ten  years  since  the  Red  Pyle  Leghorns  came 
before  the  public.  To  an  English  Leghorn  fancier 
belongs  the  credit  of  originating  them.  Five  years 
later  they  made  their  appearance  in  America,  being  shown 
at  Madison  Square  Garden  by  several  exhibitors  two 
years  in  succession;  and  then  they  seem  to  have  dropped 
out  of  the  running  until  the  1909-10  show,  when  they 
again  made  their  appearance  at  the  Garden. 

Xot  being  assigned  a  regular  class,  they  competed 
against  all  other  non-standard  aspirants  for  public  favor. 
The  even  type  of  these  birds,  their  "classy"  appearance, 
and  the  strong  evidence  of  their  useful  qualities,  won  for 
them  every  first  and  second  prize  in  the  class  to  which 
they  were  assigned. 

There  is  nothing  similar  to  the  color  of  their  plumage, 
excepting  the  Pyle  Game  and  Game  Bantam,  and  to  see 
a  pen  of  these  busy  and  active  birds  with  the  sun's  rays 
full  upon  them  is  a  picture  for  a  painter.  The  rich  color- 
ing of  the  male  flashing  in  and  out  among  the  brown- 
breasted  females  as  they  scratch  in 
the  litter  in  the  pen,  is  a  pleasing 
sight  to  any  fancier. 

One  of  the  greatest  points  in 
their  favor  is  their  ability  as  winter 
layers.  They  do  not  mature  so  quickly 
as  the  Browns,  Whites  or  Buflfs;  being 
a  opund  or  more  heavier  in  weight; 
but  when  they  get  started  about  No- 
vember first,  there  is  nothing  in  the 
shape  of  cold  weather  that  will  dis- 
courage them.  Their  eggs  rank  well 
in  size,  being  equal  to  some  Minorca 
eggs,  as  large  as  the  best  Buff  Leg- 
horn, larger  than  the  White,  and 
nearly  as  large  again  as  the  Black, 
Brown  or  Duckwing  eggs.  The  color 
of  the  shell  is  transparent  white. 

There  have  been  articles  appear- 
ing in  praise  of  the  various  varieties 
of  Leghorns,  diflferent  writers  lauding 
their  favorite  variety  of  the  breed  and 
crediting  it  with  all  the  virtues  and 
none  of  the  faults  of  the  other  breeds. 


REEDING      PEN 

LEGHORNS 
Owned  and  bred  by  George  E 


-Ml  who  have  bred  each  variety  of  Leghorns  know  these 
claims  cannot  be  and  are  not  real  in  fact.  No  one  variety 
of  Leghorns  has  all  the  virtues.  Their  mission  in  life  is 
to  lay  a  large  number  of  eggs,  and  they  all  fulfill  that 
mission — some  more  than  fulfill  it,  others  less. 

It  is  not  the  object  here  to  make  any  claim  for  the 
Pyles  that  cannot  be  realized  in  breeding  them.  Game 
blood,  undoubtedly,  was  used  in  creating  them,  and  it  is 
useless  to  deny  it,  as  common  sense  must  teach  one  that 
the  Pyle  markings  could  not  be  obtained  in  any  other 
way.  When  dressed  for  the  table  this  fact  becomes  more 
apparent  by  the  appearance  of  the  carcass.  The  skin  is 
a  rich  golden  yellow  that  looks  like  butter,  and  the  car- 
cass is  plump  and  round,  giving  it  a  first-rate  table  ap- 
pearance. Pullets  will  weigh  four  pounds  with  the  head 
and  feathers  off,  cockerels  five,  hens  five,  and  cocks  six. 

Now,  to  my  way  of  thinking,  this  is  an  ideal  general 
purpose  fowl,  large  enough  for  the  table  and  of  a  quality 
to  tempt  the  epicure.     The  eggs  are  white  in  color  and 
'  are  large  enough  to  be  especially  se- 

lected; and  they  can  be  had  in  winter 
when  most  sought  after.  The  plumage 
is  rich  in  color  and  not  commonplace 
or  monotonous  to  look  at;  and  when 
spread  over  a  fowl  of  the  real  Leg- 
horn shape,  with  Leghorn  style  and 
characteristics,  large  pure  white  ear 
lobes,  and  a  comb  which  every  Leg- 
horn breeder  recognizes  as  perfect,  I 
submit  we  have  a  fowl  which  has  well 
earned  its  right  to  public  favor  and 
pulilic  patronage. 

In  selecting  a  pen  of  Pyle  Leg- 
horns for  breeding  purposes,  great 
attention  should  be  given  to  the  color 
and  style  of  the  male.  Let  this  color 
be  rich  and  breast  clear  white,  if  pos- 
sible, although  it  is  hard  to  get  as  yet 
in  a  high  top  -colored  bird.  Mate  this 
bird  to  females  that  are  perfect 
"dreams"  in  shape,  with  solid  brown 
breasts  and  free  from  ticking  in 
the     balance     of     the     plumage     and 


RED       PYLE 


THE   LEGHORNS 


93 


nicely  serrated,  medium-sized  combs,  strong  at  base 
where  set  on  the  head  and  free  from  wrinkles  or  folds. 
For  cockerels  add  two  or  three  females  with  the  red 
wing  and  some  red  in  top  color,  provided,  first,  that 
they  have  white  ears,  and  second,  a  small  comb,  erect,  if 
possible. 


The  greatest  point  of  beauty  in  a  Pyle  Leghorn -is 
the  white  ear.  The  red  stripe  in  the  hackles  of  both  male 
and  female  sets  the  ear  off  nicely. 

Under  the  refining  influence  of  the  fancier's  hand  they 
will  lose  a  trifle  in  weight,  improve  in  shape,  and  no  doubt 
gain  in  egg  production  with  selection  for  prolificacy. 


Standard  for  Red  Pyle  Leghorns 

The  Following  Standard  for  Red  Pyle  Leghorns  Has  Been  Prepared  by  George  E.  Howell: 


THE  following   Standard   for  Red   Pyle   Leghorns   h 
been  prepared  by  George  E.  Howell: 

Shape  of  male  and  female  should  conform 
description  given  in  .American  Standard  of  Perfecti* 
pages  109  and  110. 


Disqualifications 


ted  co\ 
ckerels 


one-half  surface  of  ear-lobes 
formed   backs,   wry  tails,   side 
sprigs    on  combs, 
shanks  other  than 
yellow     in     cock- 
Color  of  Male 
Head;     Plum- 
age, bright  orange 
or  light  red. 
Beak:    Yellow. 
Eyes:  Red. 
Comb:      Bright 
Red. 
Wattles:  Bright 


Ear-Lobes: 
hite    or  creamy 


ite. 


and 


RED  PYLE  LEGHORN   COCK 
First  Prize  at  Madison  Square   Garden. 
New    Yorls,    1909-10.      Bred    and    exhibited 
by   George   E.    Howell. 


Shank: 
Toes:  Yellow. 

Xeck:  Hackle, 
orange  or  light 
red,  free  from 
dark  stripe  down 
center  of  feather. 

Back:  Red  or 
crimson. 


Saddle:  Orange  or  light  red,  free  from  black  stripe. 

Breast:  White. 

Body  and  Stern:  White. 

\^'ings  and  shoulders:  Wing- fronts,  white,  wing- 
bows,  red  or  crimson,  wing-coverts,  white,  forming 
distinct  bar  across  wing;  primaries,  white  except  lower 
feathers  outer  web  of  which  is  bay;  secondaries,  part  of 
outer  web  forming  wing-bay,  red,  remainder  of  feathers, 
v.-hite. 

T.iil:  White. 
S  ic  k  le  s     a  n  d 
Tail     Coverts: 
White. 


Thigl 


Wl 


Color  of  Female 
Beak:    Yellow. 
Eyes:  Red. 
Face:    Bright 
red. 

Comb:  Bright 
red. 

,  Wattles:  Bright 
red. 

Ear-Lobes: 
W'hite  or  creamy 
white. 

Shanks  and 
Toes:  Yellow. 

Head:   Plumage,  white   feathers  edged  with  bay 

Neck:   Hackle,  white  feathers  edged  with   bay. 

Back:  White. 

Breast:  Bay  or  Salmon. 

Body  and  Stern:  White. 

Wings:  White. 

Tail:  White. 

Thighs:   White. 


RED    PYLE    LEGHORN   PULLET 
irst   Prize  at  Madison  Square   Garden, 
V    York,    1909-10.      Bred    and    exhibited 
George   E    Howell. 


CHAPTER  VII 


Leghorns  in  England 


Absence  of  Shnpe-Dislincdveness  From  That  of  the  Minorca— Characteristics  of 
the  Euglish  Bred  Leghorn. 


I  HAD  just  turned  from  the  Minorca  display,  and 
stepped  across  the  aisle  to  the  Leghorns,  at  the 
Royal  Show  which  was  being  held  at  Norwich,  Eng- 
land, and  it  was  then  that  I  noticed  mast  vividly  the  ab- 
sence of  that  shape  distinctiveness  which  gives  these  two 
races  their  individuality,  and  so  plainly  characterizes  the 
one  from  the  other  in  the  American  show  rooms. 

The  sprightly  alertness  and  graceful  lines  of  the 
American  Leghorn  did  not  characterize  the  English  birds. 
In  England,  the  birds  are  bred  to  a  rectangular  body 
shape  with  long  legs,  heavy  combs  and  wattles  and 
pendant  lobes.  The  cocks  are  bred  to  weights  of  7  to  8 
pounds,  and  the  hens  to  6  and  7  pounds.  "Size"  is  one 
of  the  first  considerations  with  the  English  judges  and 
breeders  and  is  given  a  valuation  of  15  points  as  against 
4  points  which  have  been  allotted  by  the  makers  of  our 
"Standard." 


Ear-lobes  are  the  leading  feature  of  the  head  and  are 
valued  at  15  points.  The  Poultry  Club  Standard  requires 
that  they  be  "well  developed  and  rather  pendant."  Comb 
is  allotted  12  points  and  here  the  judge  again  seeks  size, 
and  desires  that  the  comb  extend  vvrell  beyond  the  back  of 
the  head,  and  follow  the  line  of  the  hackle.  In  the  female, 
the  refined  American  comb  is  not  seen,  but,  rather  a 
heavier,  larger  appendage  which  forms  one  loop  over  the 
beak  and  then  droops  down  on  the  opposite  side. 

These  were  the  kind  of  birds  that  were  exhibited  at 
the  Royal  Show,  and  a  very  good  display  it  was,  meas- 
ured by  the  English  ideal.  But,  to  those  schooled  in  the 
fancy  of  the  United  States  and  Canada,  the  yellow  shanks 
of  the  birds  alone,  and  not  their  conformation  and  size, 
would  have  distinguished  the  Leghorn  from  the 
Minorcas. 

American  Leghorns  in  England 

The  English  Standard  specifically  calls  for  large 
Leghorns  and  a  wedge-shaped  body — two  factors  that 
have  from  time  to  time,  been  the  basis  of  argument  for 
the  breeding  of  larger  birds  of  heavier  type  in  America. 
I  have  always  maintained  that  the  Leghorn  should  have 
the  size  and  strength  necessary  for  the  fowl's  continued 
production  of  very  many  eggs.  But,  the  English  Leghorn 
IS  a  notoriously  ordinary  layer  at  home,  and  on  one  large 
utility  plant,  I  found  imported  American  and  Australian 
White  Leghorns  being  kept  for  eggs,  the  English  birds 
having  been  given  up  some  years  ago.  It  would  seem 
that  the  size  and  also  the  type  of  our  birds  is  conducive  to 
their  continuance  as  a  favorite  on  our  commercial  egg 
farms,  and  it  seems  to  me  that  we  can  do  no  better  than 
maintain  our  present  size  and  enjoy  the  gracefulness  and 
beautiful  finish  of  our  Standard  birds. 

An  English  Criticism  of  the  American  Type 

The  day  of  an  "International  Standard"  may  come, 
liut  at  present  America  and  England  are  measuring  Leg- 
liorn  values  according  to  vastly  different  standards.  Both 
cherish  their  own  ideals  and  there  is  beauty  for  each  in 
the  birds  of  their  own  breeding. 

When  the  proposed  Standard  illustration  which  was 
-uggested  to  take  the  place  of  the  Leghorn  picture  in  the 
"Misfit  1910  Standard"  came  out  in  the  "American  Poul- 
try World,"  I  was  in  London,  and  I  clipped  the  illustra- 
tion and  mailed  it  to  Andrew  Leitch,  Cameron  Bridge, 
I'ife,  N.  B.  In  response  he  wrote:  "Yes,  our  ideals  seem 
far  apart.  I  like  your  Standard  in  cocks  except  comb 
which  I  think  is  a  shade  rocky,  i.e.,  serrations  not  bold 
enough  and  spikes  are  too  much  on  a  level.  I  like  them 
to  rise  from  front  to  centre  and  fall  off  from  centre  to 
back.  The  hen's  tail  is  not  carried  close  enough  for  my 
liking.  The  gay  tails  get  the  cold  shoulder  from  me.  How- 
over,  yours  are  the  layers."  (See  illustration,  page  28). 

Mr.  Leitch  is  a  breeder  of  Black  Leghorns  and  his 
Ijirds  are  well  known  throughout  Scotland  and  England, 
and  the  illustration   on   this  page   reproduces   one   of  his 


THE   LEGHORNS 


winning  males.  The  White  Leghorn  head  is  of  a  cock- 
erel that  won  first  at  both  the  Dairy  and  Crystal  Palace 
Shows,  England.  He  was  bred  by  Whitaker  and  Toot- 
hill.  Poole,  Leeds.  This  head  is  not  an  extreme  type  but 
the  desired  type  in  England,  this  bird  having  won  (in  ad- 
dition to  the  above)  1st  at  both  the  Leghorn  Club  and  the 
White  Leghorn  Club  shows,  and  special  for  the  best  bird 
in  the  Crystal  Palace  Show,  1910. 


Brown  Leghorns  at  the  Royal  Show 
The  Brown  Leghorn  males  at  the   Royal  were 


bit 
shorter  on  leg  and  not  as  long  in  back  as  the  Whites,  and 
the  Brown  females  were  finer  in  bone  and  more  after  our 
Leghorn     type.      But,    in    color    and 
feather   markings,    the    males   offer   a      , — 
contrast  to  American  ideals.  The  top 
color  is  light — about  the  color  of  our 
pullet  breeding  males — and  the  saddle 
is   of   this   orange   color   without   the 
black  striping. 

The  Blacks 

The  Black  Leghorns  numbered 
about  the  same  as  the  White  and 
Brown.  With  the  S  fold  in  their 
comb,  their  rather  long  backs  and  big 
size,  the  females  are  well  nigh  identi- 
cal to  the  English  Minorca  type.  The 
males  are  somewhat  shorter  in  back 
and  leg  than  the  Minorcas,  yet  like 
the  other  varieties,  they  are  styled 
after  the  Minorca  fashion  with  their 
heavy  comb,  large  lobes,  long  wattles, 
rectangular  body  without  the  concave 
sweep  to  tail,  and  rather  heavy  bone. 
The  Buffs 

The  Buff  Leghorn  which  has 
come  to  hold  a  place  in  America  sec- 
ond only  to  the  White  variety,  was 
originated  in  England.  Those  at  the 
Royal  were  of  the  rich  surface  color 
which  the  English  prefer.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  under-color  was  lighter  in  the  females 
as  the  judges  are  not  so  critical  as  to  the  shade  of  the 
under-plumage. 

A  New  Variety,  the  Blue 

The  Blue  Leghorns  shown  were  of  a  solid  color,  free 
from  lacing.  The  variety  came  from  a  cross  of  Black  and 
White  Leghorns,  so  in  type  and  size  the  Blues  are  about 
what  the  English  seek  in  this  breed. 

Blue  is  the  most  difficult  of  the  two  composite  colors, 
buff  and  blue,  to  breed.  The  one  comes  as  a  mixture  of 
red  and  white  while  the  latter  comes  from  the  crossing  of 
black  and  white  fowls. 

Blue  is  a  color  that  is  difficult  to  establish  in  a  va- 
riety, for  there  is  always  a  strong  tendency  toward  black 
and  white,  and  after  selective  breeding  has  been  carried 
on  for  a  number  of  years,  the  color  is  secured  on  only  a 
fair  number  of  birds  in  each  brood.  Therefore,  the  Blue 
Leghorn  with  only  a  few  years  of  breeding  behind  it  will 
perhaps  not  be  taken  up  in  America  with  the  enthusiasm 
that  was  accorded  its  predecessor,  the  Buff  Leghorn — -at 
least,  not  yet. 


I  visited  one  breeder  of  the  variety  in  England  who 
told  me  that  his  matings  in  1910  were  a  failure.  He  had 
penned  a  blue  male  with  blue  females,  and  many  of  the 
progeny  were  white  and  the  best  of  the  youngsters  were 
too  light  in  color.  So  this  year  he  headed  his  yard  with 
a  black  male  and  mated  him  to  rather  light  blue  females, 
and  the  result  was  far  better. 

If  blue  as  a  plumage  color  could  be  perfected,  if  pea- 
cock blue  could  be  bred,  the  birds  that  wore  it  would  rival 
the  most  pleasing  color  schemes  that  we  enjoy  in  our 
most  attractive  varieties. 

But,  intricate  and  beset  with  discouragements  as  its- 
breeding  problem  now  is,  blue  is  essentially  a  color  for 
the  novice.  The  development  of  each 
of  the  colors  and  feather  markings 
can  be  traced  to  an  early  period  when 
they  were  still  crude,  unestablished 
and  often  undetermined  in  all  particu- 
lars, and  then  their  development — I 
think— cannot  be  attributed  to  breed- 
ers who  had  acquired  skill  from 
the  long  breeding  of  some  other 
variety,  but  must  be  credited  to  pro- 
gressive, studious,  persistent  begin- 
ners who  taking  up  the  race  when  it- 
was  young  became  familiar  with  the- 
tendencies  in  its  breeding,  became  ab- 
sorbed in  their  task,  and  at  last  be- 
came masters  of  the  color. 
]  In  the  past  I  have  too  often  said 

I  of  this  or  that  fowl:  "It  is  not  the 
fowl  for  the  beginner,"  but  if  those 
who  are  coming  on  did  not  take  up- 
the  new,  who  would?  Henceforth  I 
think  it  would  be  well  to  say  of  these 
new  races:  "It  is  the  fowl  for  the  pro- 
gressive, earnest,  persistent  man  with 
whom  commercialism  is  not  an  imme- 
diate consideration." 

SHORN  HK.VD  The  Silver  Leghorn 

A  Silver  Leghorn  cockerel  and 
pullet  with  ratlier  neat  heads  were  shown  at  the  Royal. 
As  the  silvery  tone  of  name  would  imply,  this  is  a  beauti- 
ful variety,  well-deserving  of  more  attention  in  America. 
In  the  male,  the  white  hackle  and  silvery  white  back,  the 
greenish  black  breast  against  which  is  laid  a  pure  white 
wing  with  a  solid  black  band  across  it,  the  black  body,  and 
the  lustrous  black  tail;  in  the  female  the  silvery  head, 
steel  gray  back  and  body,  and  salmon  red  breast,  make  a 
flock  of  which  the  master  is  of  striking  color  and  the 
mates  of  soft  and  tender  hue.  Add  to  this  the  bright  red 
comb  of  the  Leghorn  which  bespeaks  vigor  and  early  ma- 
turity, and  the  graceful  lines  and  active  bearing  of  this 
stylish  fowl. 

The  Other  Varieties 
Cuckoo,  Pyle  and  Partridge  Leghorns  are  also  bred 
in  England  in  limited  numbers,  but  none  were  shown  at 
the  Royal.  A  pair  of  each  of  Rose  Comb  Brown,  White 
and  Buff  Leghorns  were  shown  and  in  each  instance  they 
were  prefaced  as  "American  Rose  Combs,"  for  only  the 
Rose  Comb  Black  Leghorn  has  a  place  in  The  Poultry 
Club  Standard. 


English  Baff  Leghorns 


Color  Improvement  and  Increased  Size  Chiefly  Noticeable  Since  The! 
From  Denmark  iu   1888. 


THE  foundation  slock  of  the  American  Buflf  Leghorn 
was  imported  from  England  twenty  years  ago.  The 
progress  made  by  breeders  of  Bufif  Leghorns  in  the 
United  States  and  Canada  in  the  improvement  of  both 
color  and  shape  of  beautiful  BufTs  has  been  so  great, 
that  in  type  the  latter  equal  the  White  and  Brown  varie- 
ties, while  in  evenness  and  soundness  of  color,  the  Amer- 


#' 


The  above  illustration  is  reproduced  from  "The  Feath- 
ered World."  England.  The  subject  illustrated  is  Colonel 
Allatt's  Buft  Leghorn  Cock,  winner  ot  first  and  challenge 
cup  at  the  Crystal  Palace  Show.  1910;  first  silver  challenge 
bowl  and  gold  medal.  Buff  Leghorn  Club  Show,  Ingleton. 
1910.  This  English  Buff  Leghorn  male  approaches  the 
American  type  closer  than  any  other  we  have  ever  seen 
illustrated  in  recent  years.  The  comb  like  on  all  English 
Leghorns  is  rather  large  and  too  thick  over  the  beak;  neck, 
back  and  tail  are  well  outlined,  but  more  length  of  fehank 
and  thigh  would  improve  the  type  from  the  American  point 


ican  Bufif  Leghorn  surpasses  most  of  the  other  bufif  varie- 
ties of  poultry. 

It  will  be  interesting  to  American  breeders  to  learn 
how  Buflf  Leghorns  have  fared  in  the  hands  of  English 
breeders,  so  we  reprint  below  an  article  written  by  a 
member  of  the  English  Bufif  Leghorn  Club  which  ap- 
peared in  "The  Feathered  World,"  England,  July  21,  1911. 
We  also  reproduce  the  ilhvstrations  of  the  Crystal  Palace 
96 


winner  of  1910,  published  in  tlie  same  issue  of  an  English 
contemporary,  as  the  t\'pe  portrayed  is  an  unusually  good 
one  from  the  American  point  of  view.    We  quote: 

As  is  well  k-nown  to  persons  interested  in  what  is 
generally  known  as  the  Mediterranean  breed,  all  Leghorns 
originally  came  from  Italy,  although  the  breed  was  first 
sent  into  England  from  America  in  1870,  in  which  year 
Mr.  Tegetmeier  imported  a  pen  of  Whites.  Two  years 
later  the  Browns  (or  as  they  were  then  called  Red  Leg- 
horns) followed,  also  from  America.  Mr.  L.  C.  Verrey, 
who  has  had  over  thirty  years'  experience  with  Leghorns 
of  all  colors,  except  Blues,  was  the  first  Englishman  to 
own  a  Buflf  Leghorn. 

He  purchased  a  hen  that  was  exhibited  at  the  Crystal 
Palace  Show  of  1888  by  Mr.  J.  Pedersen  Bjergaard,  of  Den- 
mark, and  afterwards  obtained  other  birds  of  the  same 
variety  from  Denmark.  This  little  hen,  though  unnoticed 
by  the  Palace,  took  2nd  at  Derby  Show  about  a  month 
afterwards,  in  a  class  for  A.  O.  C.  Leghorns.  She  was 
bred  for  utility  purposes  alone;  but,  as  Mr.  Verrey  ex- 
presses it  in  his  well-known  book  "The  Leghorn  Fowl," 
she  was  also  even  colored,  "good  in  points  and  full  of 
Leghorn  characteristics." 

At  that  time  the  hens  were  a  uniform  chamois  or 
li.uht  bufif,  the  cocks  being  of  a  darker  color  on  breast 
and  back,  with  white  in  the  centre  of  the  tail  feathers.  The 
birds  did  not,  however,  always  breed  true  to  color,  and 
the  quality  of  the  ear-lobes  and  brilliancy  of  leg  color  left 
ample  room  for  improvement. 

The  prevailing  caprice  of  the  English  fancier  of  today 
is  to  breed  everything  to  an  excessive  and  unnatural  size, 
an  excellent  development  for  table  requirements,  but  in  the 
case  of  the  lighter  breeds  undoubtedly  detrimental  to  lay- 
ing capacity. 

There  are  two  Buff  Leghorn  clubs  whose  members 
are  quite  in  accord  on  this  point,  and  who  are  striving  to 
retain  the  original  characteristics  of  the  breed,  and  to 
maintain  the  old  reputation  of  the  variety  as  a  prolific 
layer  of  large  white  eggs.  They  favor  a  lively,  active 
bird,  the  widest  of  foragers,  the  smallest  of  feeders.  .-\ 
heavy,  sluggish  bird  with  beefy  comb  finds  no  favor  with 
them.  They  aim  at  the  maintenance  in  the  variety  of  the 
record  combination  of  fancy  and  utility,  which  was  estab- 
lished by  the  fineness  of  quality  of  the  first  Bufif  Leghorn 
imported  into  England. 

These  two  clubs  are  the  American  Buflf  Leghorn 
Club,  of  which  Mr.  F.  A.  Tecktonius,  of  Racine,  Wiscon- 
sin, is  president,  and  the  English  BufI  Leghorn  Club,  of 
which  Colonel  Sandbach  is  president. 

The  Americans  have  been  more  conservative  with 
regard  to  size  than  have  English  fanciers.  In  Bermuda 
two  Buflf  Leghorn  cocks,  one  from  America  and  the 
other  from  England,  can  be  seen  running  side  by  side, 
and  there  is  a  visible  diflference  in  their  weights.  The 
show  bird  of  the  island,  to  be  seen  strutting  about  the 
grounds  of  Government  House,  is  the  English  Buff  Leg- 
horn cock,  and  he  has  taken  a  prize  in  the  show  pen  at 
home.  This  bird  was  selected  for  exportation  to  Sir 
Walter  Kitchener,  on  account  of  his  very  hardy  constitu- 
tion and  as  being  possessed  of  the  essential  attributes  of 
his  breed.  His  weight  is  a  little  over  4^  lbs.,  but  he  looks 
big  by  the  side  of  his  American  comrade.  Although  dif- 
fering in  size  they  are  both  of  the  same  active  and  vigor- 
ous type  that  obtains  in  the  best  of  layers  of  the  Leghorn 
family.  This,  in  the  opinion  of  the  Buflf  Leghorn  clubs,  is 
a  first  essential. 

In  the  laying  competitions  that  have  taken  place  re- 
cently in  England  at  diflferent  places,  the  average  weight 
of  the  Danish  and  American  Leghorns  (irrespective  of 
color)  has  been  about  3  lbs.  10  oz.,  and  this  approximates 
closely  to  the  weight  of  the  exhibition  BufT  Leghorn  pul- 
let. 

.^n    increase   over   this    average    weight   is,     however. 


THE   LEGHORNS 


permissible,  because  Leghorns  up  to  S  lbs.  in  weight  have 
taken  part  in  laying  competitions  in  this  country.  Many 
believe  that  an  increase  over  the  average  weight  of  the 
.American  layers  is  due  to  a  cross  with  one  of  the  sitting 
breeds,  and  that  if  the  increase  of  size  is  not  overdone  it 
is  advantageous  as  conducive  to  a  larger  number  of  eggs 
in  the  winter  months,  and  this  is  rather  to  be  encouraged, 
provided  it  does  not  affect  the  size  of  the  eggs  or  the  total 
number  laid  within  the  year.  It  must,  however,  not  be 
forgotten  that  the  food  bill  depends  to  a  great  extent  on 
the  size  of  the  bird,  and  that,  looking  at  fowls  entirely 
as  egg  producers,  which  is  their  principal  office,  the  value 
of  the  eggs  on  one  side  against  the  cost  of  the  food  on 
the  other  is  the  fundamental  and  only  source  from  which 
a  profit  can  be  derived.  It  is  on  these  economical  lines 
that  the  Danes,  the  Americans  and  the  Australians  keep 
down  tlie  size  of  their  Leghorns  as  much  as  possible. 

We  claim,  therefore  that  bred  on  these  lines  our  exhi- 
bition birds  are  but  glorified  specimens  of  the  variety,  re- 
taining their  economic  value  as  layers,  and  that  there  is 
only  one  stamp  of  Buff  Leghorn  which  can  be  seen  in  the 
farmer.-.'  fields  and  in  the  exhibition  pen. 

It  would  be  easy  to  quote  extracts  from  communica- 
tions from  those  who  keep  and  favor  the  variety,  showing 
the  high  opinion  held  as  to  their  laying  power,  but  such 
testimonials  emanating  from  interested  parties  are  some- 
times of  little  value.  They  are  apt  to  bring  to  mind  the 
story  of  the  gentleman  who  wrote,  "My  fowls  are  laying 
atrociously,  but  my  poultryman  is  a  first-class  liar  and 
keeps  up  the  reputation  of  the  firm." 

It  is,  however,  to  the  point  that  a  week  or  two  ago  a 
gentleman  who  has  studied  poultry  farming  for  many 
years  in  America  and  Europe,  writing  on  "Modern 
Economical  Poultry  Keeping,"  proposing  the  keeping  of 
from  2,000  to  3,000  birds  on  an  acre,  says.  "The  fowl  for 
egg  forming  should  be  the  Buff  Leghorn."  And  I  believe 
he  is  not  a  member  of  any  specialty  club,  nor  a  breeder  of 
the  variety  he  recommends. 


WHITE    LEGHORN-    PULLET 
South  Afr 


ibited    by    Geo.    Pat 

ntein.  JohannesburiT,  South  .\fr 


White  Leghorns  in  South  Africa 


MR.  PATMORE  in  a  letter  dated  July  29,  1911,  ad- 
dressed to  F.  L.  Piatt,  Associate  Editor,  Reliable 
Poultry  Journal,  makes  the  following  introduc- 
tory statements  relating  to  his  strain  of  White  Leghorns: 
"I  call  my  birds  South  African  as  I  bred  them  26  years 
and  have  been  very  careful  not  to  get  the  birds  too  big 
and  clumsy.  They  are  splendid  layers,  the  eggs  averaging 
six  and  seven  to  the  pound. 

"I  attributed  my  success  to  the  blending  of  a  pen  of 
birds  I  imported  from  America  with  a  pen  received  from 
England  in  the  early  days  of  iny  poultry  keeping  out  here 
and  making  a  specialty  of  White  Leghorns;  at  six  dif- 
ferent shows  this  year  I  have  beaten  the  imported  English 
birds.  The  American  White  Leghorns  are  by  far  the  better 


layers  when  compared  with  the  modern  English  birds,  but 
they  are  rather  small  and  seem  to  get  smaller  out  here 
after  the  second  year's  breeding  with  them.  I  do  not  think 
breeders  can  do  better  if  they  want  a  good  all  round 
White  Leghorn  than  to  follow  my  example.  Of  course,  it 
takes  time  to  bring  them  up  to  win  at  shows  and  be  pro- 
lific layers,  but  I  can  safely  say  that  I  have  accomplished 
this  with  my  White  Leghorns." 

The  specimen  illustrated  above,  while  showing  the 
desired  length  of  body  lacks  the  fine  and  graceful  lines  of 
the  American  Leghorns.  The  comb,  head,  neck,  back, 
body  and  tail  are  more  of  the  Minorca  type,  but  for  utility 
purposes  the  shape  of  the  South  African  White  Leghorr 
is  very  good. 


CHAPTER  VIII 


Jud^in^  Leghorns 


How  Judging  is  Done  by  the  Score  Card— Instruction  in  Scoring  as  Practiced  by  Judges  in  the  Show  Rooms 

D.  E.  Hale 


IN  JUDGIXG  Leghorns  or  any  other  breed  one  must 
first  familiarize  himself  with  the  score  card.  The 
score  card  as  shown  below  is  a  reproduction  of  the 
oflicial  score-card  of  the  American  Poultry  Association,  as 
revised  and  adopted  at  their  annual  meeting  held  at  Ni- 
agara Falls,  August,  1909.  Some  of  the  sections  that  were 
on  the  old  card  were  divided  at  this  meeting,  making 
twenty  sections,  divided  as  follows; 

Annual  Shovv' 
POULTRY  ASSOCIATION 

Jan.  10. '10 Date 

Official  Score-Card  .American  Poultry  Association 


Exhibit 
Breed 


Juhn  Doe 
[Iroirh  Lrij. 
No.  Band 


SHAPP. 

Color 

Remakk.s 

1 

.4 

Size.    .. 

Sraall                Z 

Condition 

Frosted  Wattles 

Comb 

Head 

Beak 

Eyes 

Lobes 

'4 

Wattles                                           ' 

Wrinkled 

Neck 

•A 

..J 

JS'ot  filled,  pnnr  ti/is 

Back 

Ya 

Lipid  Hdiiiiifl 

Tail    . 

1 

'4 

llipli.  purple  litirs 

Wings 

'4 

'A 

riirplr  l.nrs 

Body  and  Fluff 

Legs  

'i 

Short 

Toes 

Crest  and  Deaid  

Shortness  of  Feather  

Cuts  ,  ,,                  

10^ 

Scire  89H 

D.  E.  Hale 

BraUord 


Judge 

Secretary 


The  last  two  sections,  "Crest  and  Beard,"  and  "Short- 
ness of  Feather,"  apply  to  crested  breeds  and  Games  and 
Game  Bantams  only. 

In  order  to  give  some  idea  of  what  we  are  doing  in 
applying  these  valuations,   etc.,  we  must  quote  from  the 


Revised  Standard,  the  Scale  of  Points  as  applied  to  Leg- 
horns. 

Scale  of  Points 

Symmetry   4 

Size   4 

Condition    4 

Comb    10 

Head:  Shape,  2;  Color,  4  6 

Eyes:  Shape,  2;  Color,  2  4 

Beak:  Shape,  2;  Color,  2 4 

Wattles  and  Ear-Lobes:  Shape,  4;  Color,  6....  10 

Neck:  Shape,  3;  Color,  4   7 

Back:  Shape,  5;  Color,  4  9 

Breast:  Shape,  S ;  Color,  4  9 

Body  and  Fluff:  Shape,  2;  Color,  3 5 

Wings:  Shape,  4;  Color,  4   8 

Tail:  Shape,  6;  Color,  4  10 

Legs  and  Toes:  Shape,  3;  Color,  3 6 

100 
We  note  by  the  above  "Scale  of  Points"  that  a  per- 
fect bird  is  lepresented  by  100  points.  In  scoring  a  bird 
we  take  each  section,  as  a  whole,  and  deduct  from  the 
valuation  of  that  section  whatever  per  cent,  we  think  it  is 
defecient.  For  example  you  will  note  on  the  score  card 
that  symmetry  is  cut  one  point.  As  this  section  is  valued 
at  four  points  the  judge  considered  that  it  lacked  twenty- 
five  per  cent,  of  being  a  perfect  specimen  when  judged 
as  a  whole  and  thus  cut  it  one  point.  When  we  speak  of 
"cuts,"  which  we  will  do  quite  frequently,  we  mean  deduct. 
After  examining  the  bird  section  by  section  and  writ- 
ing the  cuts,  or  amount  of  deductions,  on  the  score  card 
as  shown  in  Fig.  A.,  the  total  cuts  are  deducted  from  100 
giving  us  the  score  of  the  bird. 

The  Leghorn  Male 

Let  us  first  study  the  proper  shape  of  a  Leghorn, 
taking  the  male  first.  Note  the  drawings  of  the  perfect 
specimen  as  shown  on  page  28.  then  study  your  Stan- 
ard  and  get  the  shape  description  firmly  fixed  in  your 
mind.  The  charts  shown  herewith  are  probably  the  best 
drawings  ever  made  of  a  Leghorn.  The  head  is  of  mod- 
erate length  and  fairly  deep  while  the  beak  is  nicely 
curved  and  of  moderate  length.  The  eyes  are  of  moderate 
size  and  nearly  full,  while  the  face  shows  a  well-rounded 
appearance  and  smooth,  matching  well  the  wattles  and  ear- 
lobes.  Study  the  shape  of  these  latter  and  you  will  note 
that  they  show  no  folds  or  wrinkles.  The  comb  is  as  it 
should  be;  well  proportioned,  smooth  and  has  the  proper 
number  of  points  or  serrations,  the  fourth,  or  next  to  the 
rear  one,  is  the  highest.  Note  the  distance  from  the  beak 
to  the  first  point  and  also  note  the  blade  at  the  rear  and 
the  distance  from  the  head.  You  will  also  note,  if  you 
look  closely,  that  the  fourth  point  is  about  the  same  length 
as  the  base  of  the  comb  is  deep,  measuring  from  the 
base  line  of  the  comb  to  the  base  line  of  the  point.  This 
will  give  you  an  idea  of  proportion  as  applied  to  size  of 
serrations.  The  breast  is  full  and  well-rounded  while  the 
neck  shows  the  proper  length  and  arch,  joining  the  back 
in  a  graceful  curve,  continuing  the  downward  slope  t-o- 
center  of  back  where  it  rises  with   a  beautiful  sweep   to. 


THE   LEGHORNS 


the  large,  well-spread  tail  carried  at  an  angle  of  45  degrees 
and  covered  with  long,  well  curved  sickles  and  abundant 
coverts.  The  shanks  and  thighs  are  of  proper  length,  giv- 
ing us  a  bird  that  is  truly  a  bird  with  an  alert  appearance 
and  graceful  curves. 

The   Female 

Make  the  same  study  of  the  female  drawing.  Many 
questions  are  asked  in  regard  to  how  a  female's  comb 
should  droop.  You  will  note  that  the  front  part  of  the 
blade  and  the  first  point  stand  erect  while  the  rest  gradu- 
ally droops  to  one  side.  Held  erect  it  resembles  the  male 
comb  in  shape  having  five  distinct  points,  the  fourth  one 
being  the  highest,  the  others  shorter  as  they  approach  the 
front  and  rear.  The  female's  comb  is  finer  in  texture  than 
the  male's  and  same  can  be  said  of  wattles.  The  ear-lobes 
have  the  same  almond-shape  and  are  also  smooth  and  fine 
in  texture.  Note  the  long,  rather  slender  and  gracefully 
arched  neck  coupled  with  the  same  graceful  connection — 
no  break  at  junction — with  the  back,  having  the  appear- 
ance of  being  a  little  longer  than  the  male,  connecting 
with  a  fine,  well-spread  tail  carried  at  an  angle  of  forty 
degrees.  You  will  note  that  there  are  seven  main-tail 
feathers  on  each  side  and  that  about  half  of  each  feather 
shows  when  viewed  from  the  side.  Bear  this  in  mind  and 
you  will  always  note,  at  a  glance,  a  properly  spread  tail. 
The  breast  shows  the  same  full,  round  appearance  as  the 
male  and  with  the  legs  of  proper  length  we  have  a  beauti- 
ful, active  bird  of  curves. 

Symmetry 

The  first  section  shown  in  the  scale  of  points  is 
Symmetry. 

Webster  defines  Symmetry  as  "A  due  proportion  to 
the  several  parts  of  a  body  to  each  other;  or  the  union 
and  conformity  of  the  members  of  a  work  as  a  whole." 
Some  score-cards  show  it  as  "Typical  Carriage,"  which  is 
defined  in  the  Standard  as  "expressing  a  characteristic,  in 
color  or  form,  representative  of  a  breed  or  variety." 
"Representative  of  a  breed  or  variety" — please  remember 
that,  as  it  is  the  main  point  we  wish  to  make. 

In  order  to  show  our  readers  that  this  section  was  dis- 
cussed years  ago,  allow  us  to  refer  to  Mr.  B.  N.  Pierce's 
book  on  "Wyandotte  Culture."  He  says:  "It  may  be  well 
to  remark,  that  among  breeders,  writers  and  judges,  a 
great  variance  of  opinion  has  been  advanced  relative  to 
the  importance  of  retaining  this  section  in  the  future 
Standard.  We  know  of  no  reasons,  neither  have  any  been 
presented  in  the  various  publications,  proving  that  the 
symmetry  section  is  either  wrong  or  baneful  in  its  in- 
fluence on  the  well-being  of  thorough-bred  poultry,  or  that 
by  its  use  an  incorrect  value  of  the  merits  of  a  specimen 
is  given."  Mr.  Pierce  again  says:  "Symmetry,  as  a  special 
feature  in  connection  with  our  system  of  arriving  at  the 
merits  of  a  fowl,  is  doing  its  own  good  work,  and  results 
in  holding  the  characteristic  shape  of  the  various  breeds 
of  fowls  distinct  from  each  other,  immediately  detecting 
any  encroachment  of  the  one  upon  the  other,  by  reason  of 
its  being  a  guide  to  the  intelligent  breeder  as  to  the  true 
and  complete  shape  of  the  Standard  specimen,  no  matter 
whether  he  is  breeding  fowls  in  Maine,  California,  Texas 
or  Rhode  Island.  It  is  the  shorthand  way  of  acquiring 
and  understanding  the  recognized  or  Standard  shape  of  a 
specimen  of  fowls." 

If  we  study  and  understand  the  Standard  require- 
ments of  a  fowl,  study  each  section,  also  its  general 
outline,  how  the  parts  or  sections  should  fit  together  in 
harmony,  in  fact,  get  the  ideal  shape  fixed  in  our  mind  as 


shown  in  the  Standard  drawings  and  description;  the  min- 
ute we  get  a  good  look  at  a  bird  we  know  whether  it  is 
typical  of  the  breed  it  represents  or  has  symmetry. 

In  Leghorns  we  have  a  breed  that  is  described  in  the 
Standard  as  being  a  breed  "of  comparatively  small  size, 
of  great  alertness  and  of  graceful  curves."  It  also  says 
that  "decidedly  short  backs,  short  shanks  and  low-set 
bodies  are  objectionable." 

We  believe  that  a  fowl's  symmetry  should  be  judged 
before  the  bird  is  disturbed.  Especially  is  this  true  of  the 
Leghorn.  They  are  naturally  of  a  nervous  disposition  and 
at  the  first  indication  of  fright  or  nervousness  they  will 
draw  their  tail  up,  sometimes  to  a  perpendicular  position 
or  even  farther  which  makes  it  a  "squirrel  tail"  and  dis- 
qualifies the  bird.  Approach  the  cage  carefully  and  look 
at  the  bird  before  disturbing  it.  See  if  each  section  is  well 
developed  and  fits  one  with  the  other  giving  it  a  finished 
or  typical  appearance.  If  its  breast  is  too  fell,  spoiling 
the  well-rounded  outline  effect  as  shown  in  the  chart,  cut 
one-half  to  three-fourths.  Neck  too  short  and  thin,  not 
arched,  or  too  long  and  straight,  not  filled,  giving  it  a 
scraggly  appearance,  cut  one-half  to  one.  Tail  too  high 
and  pinched  making  the  fowl  look  narrow  at  the  rear,  cut 
one  to  two.  Tail  too  short,  cut  one-half.  Legs  too  short 
and  close  together,  cut  one-half.  Right  here  we  wish  to 
say  that  Leghorn  exhibitors  should  put  more  time  in 
training  their  birds  to  stand  in  a  natural  position,  when 
the  judges  comes  around,  they  will  not  try  to  fly  through 
the  top  of  the  cage.  A  Leghorn  can  be  trained  as  well  as 
any  other  breed  and  a  breeder  should  not  expect  to  fall 
back  upon  the  excuse  that  they  are  nervous  and  ask  the 
judge  to  put  them  on  the  floor  to  get  a  good  view  of  their 
shape,  etc.  A  little  patience  in  training  a  Leghorn  will 
make  it  as  tame  as  any  fowl  and  save  many  a  hard  cut  on 
symmetry.  The  Leghorn  breeders  should  nave  no  more 
right  to  expect  a  judge  to  spend  more  time  in  getting  a 
proper  shape  on  his  bird  than  any  other  breeder  has. 

You  will  soon  get  so  that  you  will  notice  the  defects 
mentioned  above,  at  a  glance  and  make  up  your  mind 
whether  the  specimen  should  be  cut  one-half,  one  or  one 
and  one-half.  A  successful  judge  must  thing  quickly  and 
act  quickly.  The  minute  you  begin  to  hesitate  and  study 
as  to  the  amount  of  the  cut  you  begin  to  fail.  Any  exper- 
ienced, reliable  judge  will  tell  you  that  ninety-nine  times 
out  of  one  hundred  his  first  impression  is  the  best. 

Remember  this  section  is  worth  four  points  and  when 
you  cut  a  fowl  one  for  symmetry  you  mean  it  is,  in  your 
opinion,  one-fourth  or  twenty-five  per  cent,  to  the  bad. 
There  is  no  system  that  we  know  of  that  can  be  success- 
fully applied.  The  best  way  is  to  use  your  own  judgment. 
You  know  this  section  is  valued  at  four  points  and  when 
you  are  judging  symmetry,  just  forget  that  there  is  any 
other  section  to  tlie  bird;  no  matter  if  some  exhibitor  does 
tell  you  that  you  are  cutting  twice.  Judge  the  bird  as  a 
whole  and  deduct  whatever  you  think  is  lacking  from  per- 
fection. If  four  points  represents  one  hundred  in  this  sec- 
tion, all  right.  If  the  bird  is,  in  your  judgment,  twenty- 
five  per  cent,  off,  cut  it  one  point  for  symmetry.  They 
tell  us  "it  is  like  a  two-edged  knife,  cutting  both  ways;" 
,  one  for  symmetry  because  the  bird  has  a  bad  tail  or  a  bad 
breast  and  then  cutting  these  sections  again  for  shape 
when  we  come  to  them.  That  is  not  true.  If  symmetry  is 
worth  four  points  and  a  breast  is  worth  five  for  shape  and 
tail  six  for  shape,  we  are  not  cutting  twice.  If  you  do  not 
use  this  section  of  symmetry  in  scoring  your  specimen, 
then  you  should  deduct  your  total  cuts  from  ninety-six  in- 
stead of  one  hundred. 


THE   LEGHORNS 


As  the  Leghorns  have  no  weight  section,  no  Standard 
weights  being  applied  to  them;  they  come  under  the  sec- 
tion Hsted  as  size.  This  section  has  also  been  reduced  in 
valuation  from  eight  to  four  points  inasmuch  as  any  fowl 
having  a  weight  clause  that  is  two  pounds  under  Standard 
weight  is  not  to  be  considered,  or  in  otTier  words,  disqual- 
ified. There  are  many  judges  who  never  cut  a  Leghorn 
for  size  claiming  that  they  have  no  given  size.  In  our 
opinion,  this  is  a  grave  mistake  and  results  in  many  di- 
minutive specimens  winning  a  prize  that  ought  not  be- 
cause they  will  never  be 
lai  ge  enough  to  become  good 
bl-eeding  specimens.  We  be- 
lieve that  these  small  "ban- 
tam" Leghorns  should  be  cut 
from  one  to  two  points  in 
order  to  discourage  the  breed- 
ing of  such  specimens.  We 
do  not  want  a  coarse,  over- 
grown specimen  looking 
more  like  a  Minorca  or  Ply- 
mouth Rock  in  shape,  but  we 
do  believe  in  having  them 
large  enough  to  be  good 
sprightly  business  birds. 

Disqualifications  and  General 
Shape 

Up  to  this  point  we  have 
not  found  it  necessary  to 
take  the  bird  out  of  the  cage. 
It  might  be  well  to  take  no- 
tice of  a  few  things  before 
doing  so  and  perhaps  be 
saved  the  extra  work  of 
handling  the  specimen. 

If  it  is  a  single  comb 
male  and  you  may  be  able  to 
note  any  side  sprigs,  if  it  has 
them,  and  as  side  sprigs  dis- 
qualify, it  is  well  to  look  for 
them  now  as  well  as  when 
handling  the  specimen.  A 
Icpped  comb,  lopped  over  far 
enough  to  disqualify  would 
also  show  at  a  glance.  In 
order  to  disqualify  it  must  fall 
to  come  below  the  horizontal  1 
to  lop.  Understand  this  only  applies  to  the  single  comb 
male.  Squirrel  tails,  that  is  those  that  are  carried  in  front 
of  an  imaginary  perpendicular  line  from  the  base  of  the 
tail,  one  that  points  more  toward  the  head  than  the  rear, 
disqualifies. 

Feathers  or  down  on  shanks  or  toes  now  disqualify 
and  can  sometimes  be  noticed  before  handling  the  bird. 
Side 'sprigs  on  single  comb  females  disqualify  but  cannot 
always  be  seen  until  a  specimen  is  handled  on  account  of 
'.he  comb  which  should  droop  to  one  side.  In  the  rose 
:omb  varieties  a  lopped  comb,  to  disqualify,  must  fall 
jver  to  one  side  far  enough  to  touch  the  fowl's  head.  A 
comb  that  is  so  large  as  to  obstruct  the  sight  also  dis- 
qualifies. That  means  that  if  you  hold  a  fowl  so  that 
you  can  look  right  at  the  point  of  its  beak  and  cannot 
then  see  the  fowl's  eye  on  account  of  the  large  or  "beefy" 
condition  of  the  comb,  it  disqualifies. 

After  taking  the  specimen  out  of  the  cage  you  will 
c:-a"-ine  for  crooked  back  which  can  be  detected  instantly 


►•er  to  one  side  so  far  as 
:  where  the  comb  begins 


by  passing  the  hand  down  the  fowl's  back.  -V  crooked 
back,  also  deformed  beaks  disqualify.  The  color  disquali- 
fications will  be  taken  up  under  the  different  varieties  as 
they  are  explained  herein. 

In  getting  the  shape  of  a  fowl  and  cutting  the  differ- 
ent defects  we  proceed  as  follows;  If  we  think  the  neck 
looks  too  long,  or  if  in  poultry  show  parlance,  it  is  "not 
filled,"  that  is,  full  of  undeveloped  feathers,  giving  it  a 
scrawny  appearance  mentioned  under  symmetry,  the  cut 
is  from  one-half  to  one.  If  the  back,  which  is  worth  five 
points  for  shape,  is  too  long,  too  narrow,  too  flat,  saddle 
"not  filled,"  too  narrow,  or 
too  flat  at  the  shoulders,  etc., 
cut  from  one-half  to  two  as 
in    degree. 

Xow  look  at  the  tail  and 
see  if  it  is  carried  at  the  right 
angle.  Is  it  well  spread  and 
well  developed?  Remember 
the  instructions  under  de- 
scription of  "The  Female 
in  regard  to  a  .well- 
spread  tail.  Should  there 
be  an  angle  at  the  base  of 
and  in  front  of  the  tail,  it  is 
probably  carried  too  high 
and  should  be  cut  from  one- 
half  to  two  and  one-half.  The 
breast  on  a  Leghorn  should 
be  "full  and  well-rounded;" 
should  it  show  undeveloped 
and  narrow  the  cut  should  be 
one-half  to  one  and  one-half. 
If  a  female's  breast  is  unde- 
veloped yet  has  the  large 
pendulous  crop  as  is  some- 
times seen  in  hens  the  cut 
should  be  one-half  to  two. 
The  body  is  "moderately  long 
and  fairly  straight  from  point 
to  rear;"  should  it  be  too 
deep,  bagged  or  "down  be- 
hind," or  too  loosely  feath- 
ered, the  cut  should  be  from 
one-half  to  one.  If  the  bird's 
legs  are  too  short,  cut  one- 
half  to  one.  Knock-knees 
should  be  cut  from  one-half 
t  from  one-half  to  one.  Crooked 
It  each.   Absence  of  spur  on  cock 


too  k 


toes  are  cut  one-half  poi 

bird  is  generally  cut  one-half  point  each. 

In  looking  at  wings  it  is  best  to  hold  your  cuts  for 
shape  until  you  have  the  fowl  in  your  hand  as  there  may 
be  some  broken  or  missing  flight  feathers.  You  should, 
however,  see  that  the  wings  are  carried  in  a  proper  posi- 
tion and  not  slipped.  By  slipped  wings  we  mean  one 
where  the  primaries  fall  or  hang  down  and  are  not  "tucked 
up"  under  the  secondaries  as  they  should  be.  This  is 
caused  sometimes  by  a  feather  or  two  being  missing 
where  the  primaries  and  secondaries  are  connected  and 
sometimes  by  a  muscular  weakness.  It  should  be  cut  from 
one  to  three  points,  depending  upon  whether  it  is  one  or 
both  wings  that  are  slipped.  This  defect  will  transmit  or 
reproduce  and  really  should,  in  our  opinion,  be  made  a 
disqualification;  therefore  it  should  be  cut  hard  enough  to 
throw  the  specimen  out  of  the  ribbons  and  discourage  the 
breeding  of  such  specimens.  Now  we  are  ready  to  take 
the  specimen  out  of  the  cage  and  examine  it  for  color  and 
other  defects.     Do  not  reach  in  and  grab  it  by  one  leg  and 


THE   LEGHORNS 


drag  it  out,  thus  taking 
chances  on  breaking  wing 
feathers;  take  hold  of  one 
wing,  from  in  front,  near  the 
body  and  you  can  turn  the 
bird  in  any  position  you  wish. 
Then  lead  it  out  of  the  cage 
and  as  you  do  so,  with  your 
other  hand  grasp  its  legs  at 
the  hock  joint  letting  the 
bird's  body  rest  on  your  arm. 
The  fowl  is  thus  held  se- 
curely and  comfortably  and 
can  be  easily  examined  with- 
lait  danger  of  injury. 
Condition 
The  next  section  we  no- 
tice on  the  score  card  is  condition. 
It  is  valued  at  four  points  and  is 
one  of  the  most  difficult  sections 
on  the  list  to  explain  in  writing. 
No  definite  rule  can  be  laid  down 
for  cutting  defects  found  under 
this  section.  The  judge  has  here 
got  to  go  slow  to  show  his  wisdom 
and  "horse  sense."  He  has  got  to 
be  familiar  with  the  different  dis- 
eases, the  effects  of  freezing  or 
frost-bite,  injuries,  etc.,  dirty  and 
broken  plumage  and  whether  there 
is  a  poor  condition  from  over- 
feeding or  starving.  Condition  as 
referred  to  in  the  Standard  means, 
"the  state  of  a  fowl  as  regards 
health,  cleanliness  and  order  of  plu-  "^ 

mage."  Some  birds  will  catch  a  cold 

on  being  shipped  to  a  show  and  just  begin  to  show  it  when 
judged.  In  these  cases  the  judge  will  generally  consider 
the  specimen,  cutting  from  one-half  to  one  and  one-half. 
If,  however,  the  bird  has  a  well-defined  case  of  roup  or 
other  contagious  disease,  it  should  at  once  be  removed 
from  the  show-room,  and  if  the  superintendent  has  not 
noticed  it  before  the  judge  gets  to  it,  the  judge  should 
notify  him  at  once  and  have  it  removed. 

Frosted  combs  and  wattles  should  receive  a  cut  of 
from  one-half  to  two,  depending  upon  whether  they  are 
just  slightly  frosted  or  whether  they  are  festered. 

Soiled  plumage  that  looks  as  if  the  exhibitor  had 
made  no  effort  to  get  the  bird  in  good  condition,  should 
he  cut  from  one-half  to  two  points.  If  they  look  as  if 
they  had  been  clearked  up  in  nice  shape  and  become  soiled 
in  being  shipped  to  the  show  or  from  dirty  coops  caused 
Uy  careless  show  management,  the  judge  can  be  a  little 
lenient  with  such  specimens. 

If  the  bird  is  too  fat  from  over-feeding  and  has  "gone 
down  behind,"  as  they  say,  it  should  be  cut  from  one-half 
to  one  and  one-half  points. 

Scaly  legs.  There  is  no  excuse  whatever  for  showing 
a  bird  with  scaly  legs  because  they  are  so  easily  cured.  A 
good  scrubbing  with  hot  water  and  soap,  then  a  little  kero- 
sene, lard  or  vaseline  applied  twice  a  week  for  two  weeks 
will  cure  the  worst  case  that  ever  existed. 

Whenever  you  cut  for  condition  note  in  the  remarks 
column  of  the  score  card  the  reason.  (See  Fig.  A.) 
Comb 
This   is   the    most    valuable    section   of  the    Leghorn, 
being  valued  at  ten  points  and  only   shape  to  be  consid- 


ered.    There  are  manj-  defects  to  be  looked  for  and  this 
section  is  one  liard  to  breed  and  get  good. 

Single  Comb 

Most  breeders  seem  to  understand  that  there  should 
be  five  or  more  points  or  serrations  and  that  every  point 
more  or  less  than  five  should  be  cut  one-half  point  each. 
For  example  if  a  comb  has  six  points  cut  it  one- 
half  point,  if  it  has  four  points  cut  one  half;  if  it  has  seven 
or  three,  cut  one  point,  etc.  We  hear  many  exhibitors  re- 
mark "there  is  a  good  comb,  it  has  five  points,"  or  "there 
is  a  poor  comb,  it  has  six  or  seven  points,"  as  the  case 
may  be.  They  do  not  seem  to  realize  that  if  all  the  ser- 
rations were  missing  it  would  only  call  for  a  cut  of  two 
and  one-half  points  and  we  would  still  have  left  a  valua- 
tion of  seven  and  one-half  points  to  cover  other  defects. 
Let  us  look  at  some  of  the  other  defects  illustrated  here. 
In  Fi,g.  1,  we  have  not  only  a  perfect  comb,  five  serrations, 
line  in  texture,  free  from  folds  and  wrinkles,  the  blade  of 
Iiroper  proportion  and  fitting  the  head  perfectly,  but  the 
eye,  beak  and  wattles  and  ear-lobes  all  show  perfect  shape 
and  are  well  worth  careful  study.  In  Fig.2,  we  have  a 
comb  that  is  a  bad  one  and  one  that  no  fancier  should 
allow  in  his  breeding  yards.  Let  us  score  it.  In  the  first 
place  it  has  ten  serrations  calling  for  a  cut  of  two  and  one- 
half  (five  points  too  many).  The  serrations  are  uneven 
and  should  be  cut  one  point  for  that  defect.  It  has  a 
bad  thumb-mark  on  the  side  and  this  defect  is  never  cut 
less  than  one  point.  It  follows  the  head  too  closely  and 
too  far  back  and  should  be  cut  at  least  one-half  for  that 
defect,  making  a  total  of  five  points  or  fifty  per  cent  off. 

In  Fig.  3,  we  have  a  comb  not  as  bad.  It  has  seven 
serrations  which  call  for  a  cut  of  one  point.  It  is  too  thin 
at  the  base  causing  the  comb 
to  wilt  or  start  to  lop  over, 
especially  when  confined  in 
a  warm  place  for  a  few  days; 
such  combs  get  a  cut  of  one 
point  for  thin  and  light  base. 
The  points  of  the  serrations 
tuin  at  the  top  and  should  be 
cut  one-half  point,  making  a 
total  of  two  and  one-half. 
These  thin  combs  generally 
stand  up  and  look  fairly  good 
when  the  bird  is  out  in  the 
open  but  a  warm  room  and 
rich  food,  especially  bone  or 
meat,  will  soon  cause  it  to  go 
over.  For  those  who  have 
females  with  thick  coarse 
combs  not  inclined  to  droop 
these  thin  male  combs  are 
sometimes  useful  in  breeding 
to  produce  pullets  with  a 
nicely  drooped  comb. 

In  Fig.  4,  we  have  an- 
other defective  comb,  one 
that  used  to  be  quite  com- 
monly met  with  in  the  show- 
room, but  we  are  pleased  to 
say  are  fast  disappearing.  It 
has  seven  serrations,  so  cut 
it  one  point.  The  twist  or 
fold  in  front  should  be  cut 
one.  The  blade  is  high  and 
too  long  which  should  re- 
ceive a  cut  of  one-half  and  it 


103 


THE   LEGHORXS 


is  rough  or  uneven  which 
should  also  get  a  cut  of  one- 
half,  making  a  total  of  three 
points. 

Let  us,  while  on  combs, 
study  a  few  female  combs. 
Look  at  the  female  chart  on 
page  28  and  you  will  note 
that  it  has  the  five  serrations 
and  the  front  portion  and  the 
first  serration  stand  erect, 
the  balance  gradually  droop- 
ing to  one  side. 

In  Fig.  5,  we  have  a  female  comb  that  is  quite  com- 
mon in  the  show-room.  One's  first  impression  is  that  it 
B  a  pretty  good  comb  but  it  is  too  loose  on  the  head 
and  is  liable  to  fall  to  either  side.  The  serrations  are  too 
long  and  uneven  and  should  be  cut  one-half  point.  The 
general  shape  of  the  comb  is  bad  and  this  style  comb  gen- 
erally looks  coarse.  We  would  cut  it  one  point  for  this 
defect.  The  blade  is  poor  shape 
and  rough  and  should  be  cut 
one-half,  making  a  total  of  two 
points. 

In  Fig.  6,  we  have  another 
defective  female  comb.  It  is  too 
stiff  and  upright  and  falls  both 
ways  which  should  be  cut  two 
points  on  general  shape.  It  only 
has  four  serrations  which  gets 
a  cut  of  one-half  and  the  rear 
blade  falls  too  far  forward 
which  should  be  cut  one-half, 
making  a  total  of  three  points. 
In  Fig.  7,  we  have  a  very  bad  female  comb  and  one 
that  should  never  be  used  in  a  breeding  pen  if  you  have 
any  desire  to  improve  this  section.  It  is  rough,  coarse  and 
irregular  and  should  be  cut  about  three  and  one-half  to 
four  and  one-half  for  general  poor  shape.  It  has  the  cor- 
rect number  of  serrations  but  falls  both  ways  and  is  poor 
all  over.  Such  a  comb  should  be  cut  so  severe  that  the 
breeder  would  be  discouraged  from  breeding  it. 

Rose  Combs 

Let  us  also  take  up  the  rose  comb.     In   Fig.   10,  we 
have  illustrated  a  perfect  male  rose  comb.    Note  that  it  is 


,'-V5o. 


nearly  on  a  line  from  front  to 
rear  of  spike,  a  slight  rise  being 
noticed  over  crown  of  head. 
You  will  also  note  that  the 
spike  appears  to  be  separate 
and  not  a  continuation  as  in  the 
Wyandotte.  The  spike  does  not 
follow  the  head  but  is  elevated. 
Notice  also  the  corrugations  on 
the  comb.  Notice  the  space  be- 
tween the  eye  or  top  of  the 
head  and  the  comb. 

In  Fig  8,  is  shown  a  lopped 
comb;  one  that  falls  over  far  enough  to  come  in  contact 
with  the  fowl's  head.  If  it  touches  the  head  it  disqualifies. 
If  it  Joes  not  it  is  very  bad  anyway,  but  would  not  dis- 
qualify. It  has  a  hollow  center  or  seam  through  the  center 
which  should  be  cut  one  point.  It  is  too  wide  in  front 
which  should  be  cut  one-half  and  two  points  for  general 
bad  shape,  making  a  total  of  three  and  one-half. 

In  Fig.  9,  we  have  a  comb  that  is  wider  at  the  rear 
than  in   front.     It  is  very  unevenly  corrugated  and  has  a 


hollow  center.  It  should  be  cut  one  and  one-halt  tor  gen- 
eral poor  shape,  one  point  for  hollow  center  or  front  and 
one  point  for  smoothness,  making  a  total  of  three  and 
one-half. 

So  one  can  readily  see  that  the  comb  is  quite  a  study 
and  the  comb  that  gets  off  with  a  cut 
of  one  and  one-half  is  a  pretty  good 
comb. 

Heretofore  we  have  been  speak- 
ing of  the  Leghorn  in  general  cover- 
ing all  varieties  but  as  we  now  come 
to  those  sections  in  which  color  is 
considered  we  will  take  each  variety 
sepaiately  and  in  the  order  named  in 
the  Standard. 

Brown  Leghorn — Male 
Head  is  the  next  section  listed 
on  the  score-card  and  is  valued 
at  six  points,  tvi'o  for  shape  and  four  for  color.  The 
shape  has  been  explained  in  the  explanation  of  the  Leg- 
horn male.  Should  it  be  too  long  and  narrow  having 
what  is  termed  a  "snaky"  or  "Gamey"  appearance,  cut 
one-half.  In  color  it  should  be  "dark  red"  and  it  is  very 
seldom  that  it  receives  a  cut.  Should  you  find  one  with 
head  plumage  too  light  colored  or  with  a  tendency  to  be 
laced,  cut  from  one-half  to  one. 

Eyes  are  the  next  section  and  valued  at  four  points, 
two  each  for  shape  and  color.  If  blind  in  one  eye,  cut  one. 
If  the  eye  has  run  out  leav- 
ing only  the  socket,  the  cut 
should  be  one  and  one-half. 
The  color  of  the  eye  should 
be  a  "reddish  bay."  If  too 
light  being  more  of  a  golden 
than  a  red,  cut  one-half  to 
one.  If  green  or  what  is 
spoken  of  as  "fish  eyes,"  cut 
one  point  each. 

Beak  is  also  valued  at 
four  points,  two  for  shape 
and  two  for  color.  This  sec- 
tion was  formerly  incorpor- 
ated under  head  section  but 
is  now  treated  separately.  Remember  deformed  beaks  dis- 
hafqualify.  A  beak  too  long  or  too  straight  should  be  cut 
one-half.  If  too  light  in  color  being  more  of  a  yellow  than 
"horn,"  which  is  very  seldom  found,  cut  one-half. 

Wattles  and  ear-lobes  are  next  and  valued  at  ten 
points,  wattles  being  valued  at  four  and  ear-lobes  at  six. 
Your  attention  was  called  to  them  in  connection  with 
Fig.  1,  where  you  see  them  as  they  should  be.  Note  that 
tlie  ear-lobe  is  small  considering 
the  size  of  the  bird.  It  is  claimed 
by  old  breeders  that  in  breeding 
them  too  large  there  is  danger  of 
their  developing  red  edges  which, 
if  continually  bred  is  liable  to 
cause  white  in  the  face  and  as 
"white  in  the  face  of  cockerels  and 
pullets  disqualify"  it  is  important 
to  guard  against  such  defects  or 
you  will  be  liable  to  breed  dis- 
qualified birds. 

In  Fig.  2,  is  shown  a  poor  set  of  wattles  and  ear- 
lobes.  The  wattles  are  too  long,  uneven  and  folded.  Such 
wattles  should  be  cut  at  least  one  point.  The  ear-lobes 
are  rough  or  folded,  giving  them  a  lumpy,  unsightly  ap- 


THE  LEGHORNS 


103 


pearance  and  should  be  cut  one  point  for  shape.  While  the 
Standard  says  ear-lobes  should  be  "white  or  creamy 
white,"  white  is  preferred  and  such  an  ear-lobe  as  shown 
in  Fig.  2,  is  generally  yellow  and  showing  red  edges — if  it 
is  yellow  or  reddish  cut  from  one-half  to  one  and  one-half 
for  color. 

In  Fig.  3,  we  have  a  pair  of  wattles  that  are  even  in 
length  but  are  folded  and  hang  poorly.  Such  wattles 
should  be  cut  one  point.  Judging  the  ear-lobe  as  shown 
here  we  should  cut  it  at  least  one-half,  as  it  has  the  appear- 
ance of  having  a  hollow  center  and  is  too  pendulous  in 
character. 

Fig.  4,  shows  a  wattle  fairly  good  in  shape  being,  per- 
haps, a  trifle  flat  in  front  and  at  the  bottom  and  deserving 
a  cut  of  one-half.  The  ear-lobes  are  not  rounded  or 
smooth.  They  look  lumpy,  irregular  and  red  and  should 
be  cut  at  least  one  for  shape  and  two  for  color.  Remember 
that  "red  covering  more  than  one-half  of  the  ear-lobe  in 
cockerels  and  pullets  will  disqualify." 

Neck 

This  section  is  valued  at  seven  points,  three  for  shape 
and  four  for  color,  and  as  a  rule  is  very  good  in  shape.  The 
most  common  defect  found  in  shape  of  neck  is  when  not 
in  full  plumage  causing  a  break  in  the  plumage  that  spoils 
the  curve  or  arch.  A  cut  of  one-half  will  generally  cover 
it.  In  color  the  neck  should  be  of  a  "rich,  brilliant  red, 
with  a  lustrous  greenish  black  stripe  running  down  the 
middle  of  each  feather  tapering  to  a  point  near  its  ex- 
tremity, the  red  to  be  free  from  black."  The  latter  part  of 
the  above  description  is  important,  viz.:  "tapering  to  a 
point  near  its  extremity,  the  red  to  be  free  from  black." 
It  is  important  that  the  black  tip  be  free  from  red  and 
that  the  red  tapers  to  a  point,  otherwise  the  beautiful 
st'-iped  or  laced  effect  is  lost.  Examine  the  chart  on  page 
28  and  you  will  get  a  good  idea  of  how  they  should  be. 
The  shaft  of  the  feather  should  be  black  and  where  red 
shafts  are  noticed  the  cut  should  be  from  one-half  to 
two  as  in  degree.  Where  the  black  and  red  are  inter- 
mingled, giving  a  mealy  appearance  the  cut  should  be 
from  one  to  two  and  one-half.  Where  the  tips  are  black  or 
splashed  the  cut  should  be  from  one  to  two  and  one-half. 
White  in  under-color  should  be  cut  from  one  and  one-half 
to  two  and  one-half  depending  upon  the  amount  of  white. 

Back 

Back  section  is  valued  at  nine  points,  five  for  shape 
and  four  for  color.  Shape  description  and  cuts  have  been 
explained  under  "disqualifications  and  shape."  This  sec- 
tion has  been  increased  two  points  in  valuation,  the  extra 
two  points  being  added  to  shape,  as  it  is  generally  con- 
ceded that  the  back  is  one  of  the  most  important  sections 
there  is.  There  is  so  much  chance  of  getting  back  too 
long,  spoiling  the  shape  and  symmetry  of  the  whole  bird 
that  the  old  Standard  did  not  give  enough  valuation  to 
shape  so  that  a  judge  could  cut  hard  enough  to  discourage 
the  breeding  of  such  specimens.  This  increased  valuation 
on  back  shape  will  be  a  good  thing  for  the  breed.  The 
back  should  be  of  medium  length,  the  saddle  rising  in  a 
short  concave  sweep  to  the  tail.  If  too  long  or  too  nar- 
row cut  one-half  to  two  as  in  degree.  If  too  short  giving 
the  bird  a  blocky  appearance  cut  one-half  to  one.  If  flat 
showing  a  break  at  junction  of  neck  or  tail  or  both,  cut 
one-half  to  two  and  one-half  as  in  degree.  The  lowering 
of  the  tail  carriage  gives  the  back  a  longer  appearance 
than  formerly  so  breeders  must  watch  and  discount  hard 
those  diminutive  specimens  with  the  extremely  long 
backs. 


In  color  the  back  should  be  red  striped  with  black, 
same  as  hackle.  The  saddle  feathers  are  broader  and  the 
saddle  hangers  longer.  Breeders  gave  their  best  atten- 
tion to  this  section  for  years  and  made  great  improve- 
ment. The  defects  most  commonly  found  are  mixed 
black  and  red  edges  which  should  be  cut  from  one-half  to 
one  and  one-half.  When  red  shafts  are  discovered  cut 
one-half.  Red  centers  or  those  failing  in  the  black  strip- 
ing, giving  the  back  a  red  or  mealy  appearance  should  be 
cut  from  one  to  two  as  in  degree.  If  the  striping  shows 
only  on  one  side  of  the  shaft,  cut  one  point.  In  breeding 
for  exhibition  cockerels  a  good  strong  black  stripe  in 
hackle  and  saddle  is  desirable.  The  light  or  "lemon"  col- 
ored necks  and  saddles  are  used  to  produce  exhibition 
pullets.  You  must  breed  to  get  the  striping  in  proportion 
to  the  feather  if  you  wish  to  get  a  perfect  saddle  on  cock- 


erel 


Breast 


This  section  is  valued  at  nine  points,  five  for  shapf 
and  four  for  color.  The  shape  valuation  was  reduced  on( 
point  at  the  recent  revision  of  the  Standard.  Remember 
the  shape  should  be  "full  and  well  rounded."  That  does 
not  mean  deep  and  broad  like  some  of  the  other  breeds 
but  "well-rounded."  If  too  narrow,  flat  or  undeveloped 
cut  one-half  to  one.  If  too  low  and  not  carried  well  up, 
cut  one-half.  In  color  it  should  be  "glossy  black."  The 
most  common  defect  found  here  is  purple  barring  which 
should  be  cut  one-half  to  two. 

Body  and  Fluff 

This  section  was  reduced  one  point  in  valuation  and 
is  now  valued  at  five  points,  two  for  shape  and  three  for 
color.  There  are  few  defects  found  in  this  section  and 
we  generally  include  crooked  breast  or  keel-bones  here 
instead  of  breast  as  the  defect  is  generally  found  below 
the  breast,  generally  between  the  thighs.  Crooked  breasts 
or  keels  should  be  cut  from  one-half  to  two  as  in  degree 
and  in  "remarks"  column  on  the  score  card,  the  clerk 
should  write  "C.  B."  or  "C.  K."  for  crooked  breast  or 
crooked  keel  so  the  exhibitor  would  understand  the  cut. 
In  color  this  section  should  be  black.  Should  it  show 
red  colored  or  mossy  feathers  the  cut  should  be  from  one- 
half  to  one. 

Wings 

Wing  section  is  valued  at  eight  points,  four  each  for 
shape  and  color.  They  are  generally  good  in  shape. 
Broken  or  missing  flights  are  cut  one  and  one-half  each. 
White  in  wings  of  Brown  Leghorns  disqualifies  except  at 
base  of  primaries  in  cock  birds  and  if  found  there  it  is 
cut  one  and  one-half  point.  Other  shape  cuts  are  de- 
scribed under  "disqualifications  and  shape."  In  color  the 
bows  should  be  rich,  brilliant  red;  the  wing  fronts  black, 
while  the  primaries  are  black  with  the  lower  web  edge'l 
with  brown.  The  secondaries  should  be  black,  the  lower 
web  having  a  brown  edging  of  sufficient  width  to  make 
a  wing  bay  of  the  same  color.  The  coverts  should  be 
greenish  black  forming  a  well  defined  greenish  black  bar 
across  the  wing  when  folded.  The  most  common  defect 
found  is  poor  wing  barring,  the  smutty  appearance  of 
shoulders  caused  by  the  mixing  of  the  red  and  black. 
These  defects  should  be  cut  from  one-half  to  one  and 
one-half. 

Tail 

Another  important  section  with  a  valuation  of  ten 
points,  six  for  shape  and  four  for  color.  Sha>e  valuation 
has  been  increased  two  points.  It  is  seldom  we  find  a 
Leghorn  male  tail  that  can  be  passed  without  a  cut.  Being 


104 


THE   LEGHORNS 


of  a  very  nervous  disposition  (as  explained  before)  their 
first  inclination,  when  disturbed,  is  to  draw  their  tail  up 
to  a  perpendicular  position.  Remember  what  we  said 
about  training  your  fowls  to  pose  naturally.  The  judge 
should  give  the  bird  a  chance  and  try  to  catch  it  in  a  nat- 
ural pose  but  he  does  not  have  much  time  to  wait  for  it. 
When  a  tail  is  naturally  carried  high  there  is  generally  a 
break  or  angle  at  the  base  and  in  front.  A  tail  carried  too 
high  should  be  cut  from  one-half  to  two.  A  decidedly  wry 
tail  disqualifies.  Remember  it  must  be  "decidedly  wry." 
Leghorn  tails  are  so  long  that  it  quite  often  happens  the 
coops  are  too  small  causing  the  tail  to  touch  the  sides  of 
the  coop  whenever  the  bird  moves,  causing  it  to  carry  the 
tail  first  on  one  side,  then  on  the  other.  This  is  not  a 
"decidedly  wry"  tail  and  should  not  disqualify  although 
the  tail  should  be  cut  from  one  to  two  points  as  in  de- 
gree. If  the  coverts  are  short  showing  only  the  main 
tail,  cut  from  one-half  to  one.  Missing  sickles  should  be 
cut  one  and  one-half  point  each.  In  color  the  tail  should 
be  black.  Purple  bars  should  be  cut  from  one-half  to  two 
points  as  in  degree.  Any  white  in  the  tail  of  cockerel  dis- 
qualifies. In  cock  birds  one  inch  or  less  at  base  of  tail 
is  allowed  but  is  cut  one  and  one-half  points. 
Legs  and  Toes 
This  section  is  valued  at  six  points,  three  each  for 
shape  and  color.  Shape  defects  have  been  described.  In 
color,  shanks  should  be  yellow  and  the  toes,  yellow  or 
dusky  yellow.  If  faded  and  light,  cut  one-half  to  one  and 
one-half. 

Brown  Leghorn  Female 
Study  well  the  illustrations  in  the  Standard,  as  well  as 
chart  2  on  page  28  as  this   shape  will  answer  for  all  va- 
rieties. 

In  scoring  the  Leghorn  female;  symmetry,  disqualifi- 
cations, shape  and  head  points  have  been  taken  up  be- 
fore under  the  general  headings  and  also  in  male  descrip- 
tions, so  we  will  start  with  the  head  section  which  is 
valued  at  six  points,  two  for  shape  and  four  for  color.  In 
color  it  should  be  golden  yellow  tinged  with  a  light 
brown.  Its  shape  should  be  "short,  deep";  similar  to  the 
male  but  finer.  Should  you  find  one  of  the  long,  narrow, 
"snaky"  or  "Gamey"  kind  cut  it  one-half.  Should  the 
head  plumage  be  too  dark  or  red,  cut  it  one-half  to  one. 
The  ear-lobe  and  eye,  color  and  shape,  should  be  cut  as 
explained  under  those  sections  as  described  for  male. 
Neck 
This  section  is  valued  at  seven  points,  three  for  shape 
and  four  for  color.  Chart  2  shows  very  plainly  the  shape 
and  striping  of  the  feathers.  The  color  description  has 
been  changed  to  read  "golden-yellow"  instead  of  "rich" 
orange-yellow,"  broad  stripe  down  the  center  of  each 
feathers  tapers  to  a  point  near  the  extremity.  The  same 
caution  and  in  struction  as  applied  to  the  male  neck  in  re- 
gard to  striping  should  be  observed  here  in  connection  with 
the  female.  It  is  claimed  by  most  breeders  that  in  order  to 
get  the  nice  seal  brown  so  much  desired  on  back,  wings 
and  coverts  that  they  are  quite  liable  to  get  a  little  pencil- 
ing in  the  neck  or  hackle  feathers  and  this  seems  to  be  the 
general  rule.  It  has  often  been  talkd  of  that  the  Standard 
ought  to  be  changed  in  neck  description  so  as  to  allow 
the  penciling  but  as  long  as  it  calls  for  the  black  striping 
we  must  judge  them  accordingly.  If  the  neck  is  too  long 
or  "Gamey,"  not  filled,  as  mentioned  before,  cut  from 
one-half  to  one.  If  there  is  a  break  at  the  junction  with 
back,  caused  by  the  feathers  being  too  short,  cut  one-half 
to  one.    In  color,  if  the  black  centers  are  slightly  penciled 


the  cut  should  be  one-half  point.  If  the  yellow  or  red 
runs  into  the  center  of  the  feather  enough  so  that  it  fails 
to  show  black,  cut  from  one-half  to  one  and  one-half.  -  If 
the  black  extends  through  the  tip  of  the  feather  so  as  to 
spoil  the  laced  eftect  on  the  outside,  cut  from  one-half  to 
one  and  one-half. 

Back 

This  section,  you  will  remember,  has  been  increased 
in  value  and  is  now  valued  at  nine  points,  five  for  shape 
and  four  for  color.  In  shape  it  is  described  as  "medium  in 
length."  The  color  should  be  light  brown  finely  stippled 
with  a  darker  brown,  the  lighter  shade  predominating; 
greater  value  is  given  to  fineness  and  sharp  definition  of 
stippling;  also  to  evenness  of  color  and  freedom  from 
shafting  rather  than  to  any  particular  shade  of  color.  It 
is  important  to  secure  the  effect  produced  by  a  soft  even 
brown  not  suggestive  of  gray,  which  is  one  extreme  to  be 
avoided,  and  red,  which  is  the  other  extreme — the  parts  of 
the  feathers  not  exposed,  to  be  brown,  shading  into  slate 
in  fluflf,  or  under-color.  We.  see  too  many  dark  colored 
females  where  the  color  might  be  described  as  black  stip- 
pled with  a  dark  brown.  Such  specimens  might  do  for 
breeding  exhibition  cockerels,  but  they  are  too  dark  for 
exhibition  females  and  should  be  cut  for  this  defect  from 
one-half  to  two  and  one-half. 

Shaftiness  should  be  cut  one-half  to  one  and  one- 
half.  Red,  or  as  it  is  commonly  spoken  of  "brick"  color, 
should  be  cut  from  one  to  two. 

If  the  back  is  too  long  or  too  narrow,  cut  from  one- 
half  to  two,  as  in  degree.  If  too  short,  giving  the  bird  a 
blocky  appearance,  cut  from  one-helf  to  one.  If  flat,  or  it 
fails  to  rise  as  it  meets  the  tail,  cut  one-half  to  one  point. 
If  it  shows  a  cushion  similar  to  the  Wyandotte,  cut  one- 
half  to  two. 

Breast 

This  section  has  been  reduced  one  point  in  valuation 
and  is  now  valued  at  nine  points,  five  for  shape  and  four 
for  color.  In  shape  it  should  be  well-rounded  and  full, 
the  color  should  be  the  same  rich  salmon,  shading  off 
lighter  under  the  body;  free  from  shafting.  If  too  full 
or  too  narrow,  cut  from  one-half  to  one  and  one-half.  If 
it  fails  to  show  a  nice,  rounded-out  appearance,  cut  from 
one-half  to  one.  If  not  deep  enough  through  from 
shoulders  to  keel-bone  cut  from  one-half  to  one.  The 
most  common  defects  found  in  color  is  shafting  which 
should  be  cut  from  one-half  to  one;  and  the  black  or 
brown  edging  which  should  be  cut  from  one-half  to  two 
points. 

Body  and  Fluff 

This  section  has  also  been  reduced  one  point  in  valu- 
ation and  is  now  valued  at  five  points,  two  for  shape  and 
three  for  color.  In  shape  the  body  should  be  of  medium 
length;  the  fluflf,  rather  short  and  developed  more  than  in 
the  male.  The  body  color  should  be  a  light  brown  stip- 
pled with  a  darker  brown  while  the  fluff  should  be  a  slate 
color  plentifully  tinged  with  brown.  It  is  very  seldom 
that  this  section  is  cut  any  for  color.  Occasionally  a  slight 
edging  will  be  discovered  as  described  in  breast  and 
should  be  discounted  one-half  to  one  point.  If  the  shape 
of  the  body  is  too  narrow  spoiling  the  nice  plump  appear- 
ance of  this  breed  cut  from  one-half  to  one  point.  If  the 
breast  or  keel-bone  is  crooked,  cut  from  one-half  to  one 
and  one-half  as  in  degree. 

Wings 

This  section  is  still  valued  at  eight  points,  four  each 
for  shape  and  color.     In  shape  they  should  be  large  and 


THE   LEGHORNS 


105 


well  folded  while  the  color  should  be  small  feathers  stippled 
as  described  for  back;  primaries  slaty-brown;  secondaries, 
brown,  the  outer  web  finely  stippled  with  a  lighter  brown; 
coverts  same  as  back.  In  speaking  of  large  wings  on  a 
Leghorn,  it  is  not  meant  a  large  clumsy  wing  but  large  for 
the  size  of  the  bird.  This  breed  being  unusually  sprightly 
and  quick  it  is  natural  that  this  section  should  be  more 
developed  than  on  some  of  the  heavier  breeds.  When  in 
repose  the  wings  should  be  nicely  folded  against  the  sides. 
If  they  fail  to  fold  as  they  should  and  have  a  droopy  ap- 
pearance they  should  be  cut  from  one-half  to  one.  If  the 
feathers  are  broken  or  missing,  cut  one  and  one-half  point 
each.  Remember  that  white  in  wings  disqualifies  and  it 
is  for  this  reason  that  broken  or  missing  flight  feathers 
are  cut  so  hard.  In  color  the  most  common  defect  is  the 
brick  color  running  down  on  shoulders  and  sometimes 
down  onto  the  center  of  wing;  where  found  this  defect 
should  be  cut  from  one-half  to  two  points  as  in  degree.  If 
any  black  or  smutty  edging  is  discovered,  cut  from  one- 
half  to  one  and  one-half. 

Tail 
The  valuation  of  this  section  has  been  increased  two 
points  and  is  now  valued  at  ten  points,  six  for  shape  and 
four  for  color.  In  shape  it  should  be  carried  at  an  angle 
of  forty  degrees,  long,  full  and  well  spread.  Remember 
what  we  said  about  a  well-spread  tail  and  there  being 
seven  main-tail  feathers  on  each  side.  If  tail  is  carried 
too  high,  cut  from  one-half  to  one  and  one-half  as  in  de- 
.  gree.  Broken  or  missing  main-tail  feathers  should  be 
cut  one  point  each.  A  pinched  or  "Gamey"  tail  should  be 
cut  one-half  to  one  and  one-half.  In  color  the  tail  should 
be  black  except  the  two  top  feathers  which  are  stippled 
with  light  brown  while  the  coverts  are  same  as  back.  If 
any  brown  appears  in  the  main-tail  feathers  except  the 
two  top  ones,  cut  from  one-half  to  one  point.  If  the  two 
top  feathers  fail  to  show  any  penciling,  cut  from  one-half 
to  one.  If  brown  tips  are  discovered  with  a  sort  of  gray 
shading,  cut  them  from  one-half  to  one  and  one-half. 

Legs  and   Toes 

This  section  is  valued  at  six  points,  three  each  for 
shape  and  color.  The  thighs  are  described  in  color  as 
slate,  plentifully  tinged  with  brown;  shanks,  yellow. 
Toes,  yellow  or  dusky  yellow.  If  the  legs  are  too  long  or 
too  short  cut  from  one-half  to  one  as  in  degree.  Shape 
defects  such  as  knock-knees,  etc.,  have  been  described. 
Color  cut  as  described  for  male  apply  here. 

White  Leghorns 

.Ml  requirements  and  cuts  as  to  shape,  combs,  wattles, 
eyes,  face,  symmetry,  shape  disqualifications,  etc.,  ex- 
plained above,  are  the  same  as  for  this  variety.  We  find 
a  few  color  changes  in  this  variety  as  follows:  Beak 
must  be  yellow,  instead  of  horn;  ear-lobes  must  be  white 
instead  of  "white  or  creamy  white"  and  legs  and  toes  must 
be  rich  yellow  instead  of  yellow.  The  plumage  must  be 
pure  white,  including  quills,  web  and  flufif.  "Feathers  other 
than  white"  and  "legs  other  than  yellow,  except  that  red 
showing  down  the  outside  of  shanks,  back  of  scales,"  will 
disqualify.  The  most  common  defects  and  cuts  are  ex- 
plained as  follows:  Creaminess  in  any  part  of  the  plum- 
age cut  from  one-half  to  one  and  one-half  in  each  section 
where  found.  Brassiness  should  be  cut  from  one  to  two 
in  each  section  where  found.  Be  careful  and  not  confuse  . 
brassiness  with  creaminess.  The  latter  is  generally  caused 
by  an  excess  of  oil  in  the  quill  which  is  used  up  as  the 
feather  matures  while  brassiness  is  generally  found  only 


on  the  surface  and  if  you  rai^e  the  feather  that  looks 
brassy  you  will  no  doubt  lind  that  the  quill  is  pure  white 
and  that  the  brassiness  does  not  extend  below  the  sur- 
face. These  two  defects  could  not  be  defined  any  better. 
.A.  brassy  feather  has  a  metallic,  brassy  look  while  a 
creamy  feather  looks  oily  or  creamy.  Faded  shanks  and 
toes  should  be  cut  from  one-half  to  one  and  one-half. 
Broken  or  missing  flight  or  main-tail  feathers  should  be 
cut  one  and  one-half  points.  Ticking,  that  is  small  gray 
spots  in  plumage  should  be  cut  one-half  to  two  in  each 
section  where  found.  .You  will  generally  find  it  in  your 
whitest  specimens. 

BufT  Leghorns 
The  same  general  descriptions  and  cuts  for  shape, 
etc.,  govern  the  Bufifs  as  have  been  explained  under  gen- 
eral headings  and  also  for  the  Brown  variety.  There  are 
no  plumage  disqualifications  for  this  variety.  The  same 
ear-lobe  disqualifications  as  appleid  heretofore  apply  hare 
and  the  same  shank  disqualifications  as  apply  to  the 
Whites,  apply  here. 

The  legs  and  toes  are  now  described  as  a  "rich  yel- 
low," instead  of  "yellow."  The  plumage  color  is  described 
as  being  a  rich,  golden  buff.  We  all  know  that  there  are 
several  dififerent  shades  of  gold  but  the  general  under- 
standing is  that  cinijamon  is  the  extreme  dark  shade  and 
lemon  the  extreme  light  shade  and  a  happy  medium  is  de- 
sired. There  is  not  so  much  flemand  for  a  certain  shade 
as  there  is  that  the  specimen  be  of  an  even  color  through- 
out. While  most  breeders  prefer  black  to  white,  if  they 
must  have  one  or  the  other,  both  are  equally  objectionable 
according  to  the  Standard  and  must  be  punished  accord- 
ingly. Some  of  the  common  defects  found  and  cuts  for 
same  are  as  follows:  Light  colored  shafting  should  be  cut 
from  one-half  to  one  and  one-half  in  each  section  where 
found,  as  in  degree.  Mealiness,  generally  caused  by  a  mix- 
ture of  a  light  and  a  dark  strain,  should  be  cut  from  one- 
half  to  one  and  one-half  in  any  section  where  found. 
Black  or  white  should  be  cut  from  one-half  to  the  color 
limit  in  whatever  section  it  is  detected.  All  things  being 
equal    the    specimen   with   the   richest    under-color    should 

Black  Leghorns 

We  are  pleased  to  note  that  this  variety  is  gaining  in 
popularity.  The  same  general  shape  requirements,  shape 
disqualifications,  combs,  wattles,  ear-lobes,  etc.,  and  cuts 
for  shape  apply  here  as  explained  in  the  preceding  pages. 
Feathers  other  than  black  and  shanks  other  than  yellow 
or  yellowish-black  will  disqualify.  The  beak  should  be 
"black  shaded  with  yellow"  and  when  found  too  light  in 
color  should  be  cut  one-half  point.  The  plumage  should 
be  a  rich,  glossy,  greenish-black  throughout.  The  most 
common  defect  is  purple  bars  vvhich  should  be  cut  from 
one-half  to  two  wherever  found.  A  good  thing  for  the 
black  breeders  to  rememeber  is  that  by  mating  male  and 
females  that  have  exceptionally  black  under-color,  the 
tendency  is  to  breed  the  purple  bars.  Remember  that 
feathers  other'  than  black  will  disqualify.  Look  out  for 
the  large  coarse  combs  as  we  do  not  want  Minorca  combs 
on  a  Leghorn;  the  same  can  be  said  of  the  shape  through- 
out. 

Silver  Duckwing  Leghorns 

Same  general  description  and  shape  disqualifications 
as  given  in  the  preceding  pages  apply  here.  There  are  no 
special  color  disqualifications  on  this  variety.  Eye  color 
is  the  same  "reddish  bay"  as  for  the  others.  The  ear-lobes 
of  the  male  should  be  white  but  the  females'  lobe  may  be 


106 


THE   LEGHORNS 


"white  or  creamy  white."  This  allows  some  latitude  in 
the  female  ear-lobe  that  is  not  allowed  in  male  which  is 
necessary  on  account  of  the  yellow  or  salmon  pigment  in 
the  color  of  the  female  plumage. 

Color  of  Male 
The  head  plumage  should  be  silvery  white  and  if  any 
brassiness  is  found  it  is  generally  covered  by  a  cut  of  one- 
half  point.  The  feathers  of  the  neck  have  a  silvery  white 
edging  with  a  lustrous,  greenish  black  stripe  down  the 
center  of  each  as  explained  for  the  Brown  Leghorn 
except  that  silvery  white  edging  takes  the  place  of 
vJe  red.  The  defects  and  cuts  as  explained  there  will 
apply  here;  merely  substitute  silvery  white  for  red. 
The  back  is  silvery  white  with  the  saddl  striped  same 
as  hackle.  Any  brassiness  found  in  back  cut  from 
jne  to  two  and  the  same  saddle  defects  as  explained 
under  the  Brown  Leghorns  apply  here,  except  sub- 
stitute silvery  white  for  red  The  wings  have  the  bows 
of  silvery  white  with  the  primaries  black,  their  lower  web 
edged  with  white  (used  to  be  silvery  white).  Secondaries, 
black  with  lower  web  edged  with  white  of  sufficient  width 
to  secure  a  wing  bay  of  white.  Coverts  are  a  lustrous 
black  so  as  to  form  a  wing  bar  when  wing  is  folded.  Any 
purple  barring  found  in  wings  cut  one-half  to  two.  Any 
brassiness  in  wings  cut  from  one  to  two.  If  black  and 
white  are  mixed  spoiling  wing  bay  and  wing  bar  causing 
a  smutty  appearance,  cut  from  one-half  to  one  and  one- 
half.  Breast  and  body  and  fluff  should  be  black.  Purple 
bars  cut  one-half  to  two.  Any  gray  edging  cut  from  one- 
half  to  one  and  one-half.  Under-color  should  be  slate. 
Legs  and  toes  should  be:  thighs,  black;  shanks,  yellow; 
toes,  yellow  or  dusky  yellow.  Faded  or  light  leg  color 
should  be  cut  from  one-half  to  one.  The  tail  should  have 
the  sickles  and  upper  coverts  a  lustrous  black;  the  lower 
coverts,  silvery  white.  Purple  barring  is  cut  from  one-half 
to  two.  Should  there  be  any  gray  mixed  in  the  black  cut 
from  one-half  to  one.  Should  the  lower  coverts  not  be 
white  cut  from  one-half  to  one. 


Color  of  Female 

Head  color  should  be  silvery  white;  if  any  brassiness 
cut  one-half.  Eyes  are  the  same.  Ear-lobes  may  now  be 
white  or  creamy  white  as  explained  above.  Neck  de- 
scription and  cuts  are  the  same  as  for  male.  The  back 
should  be  light  gray,  stippled  with  black.  Look  out  for 
shafting  and  brassiness  and  cut  as  described  above.  The 
breast  should  be  a  light  salmon  extending  well  up  on  the 
throat  and  shading  to  gray  near  the  body.  The  color  de- 
fects are  liable  to  run  to  gray  which  should  be  cut  from 
one-half  to  one  and  one-half.  Shafting  should  be  cut  as 
described  above.  The  body  and  fluff  should  be  ashy  gray 
stippled  with  black  and  it  is  very  seldom  found  necessary 
to  cut  this  section.  The  tail  is  black  except  the  two  top 
feathers  which  must  be  stippled  with  gray;  coverts  are 
light  gray  stippled  with  black.  Look  out  that  the  gray 
stippling  does  not  extend  into  the  black  main-tail  feathers, 
in  which  case  it  should  be  cut  one-half  to  one.  Lack  of 
stippling  in  top  feathers  should  be  cut  one-half  to  one. 
Legs  and  toes  are:  thighs,  light  gray;  shanks  and  toes, 
yellow.  Faded  legs  should  be  cut  from  one-half  to  one 
and  one-half. 

Summary 

We  do  not  expect  this  article  to  cover  all  the  points 
that  one  will  run  across  in  judging  Leghorns  as  there  are 
many  points  that  come  up  from  time  to  time  where  one 
must  use  his  judgment.  You  should  have  a  Standard  of 
Perfection  and  know  it  letter  perfect,  then  by  making  use 
of  the  points  mentioned  here  you  ought  to  be  in  a  fair  way 
toward  scoring  them  pretty  close  to  where  they  belong. 
Study  the  requirements,  then  study  the  breed  and  the  va- 
rieties as  you  handle  them.  Do  not  be  afraid  or 
ashame.'  to  ask  and  to  take  the  advice  of  old  breeders. 
Be  feailess  and  just  in  your  application  of  the  Standard 
and  do  not  be  afraid  to  acknowledge  and  rectify  mistakes. 
For  the  beginner,  the  Brown  Leghorn  is  one  of  the 
hardest  breeds  there  is  to  judge,  but  once  you  know  them 
thoroughly  they  are  as  easy  as  any. 


y^/l/fS  yrTf/i 


CHAPTER  IX 


Coinniercial  Leghorn  Farms 

Rapid  Growth    of   the  White    Leghorn    E^ii    Industry  in   the  United    States.     Remarkable   Increase    in    the 
Production  of  White  Eggs.     Methods  of  Hatching,    Rearing  and  Feeding  Leghorns  on  Large  Com- 
mercial Poultry  Plants.     Grading,   Packing,  Shipping  and  Marketing   Eggs  and  Squab 
Broilers  for  Market.     Noted  Leghorn  Farms  in  the  East  «ud  West. 


TO  THE  white  shelled  egg  the  establishment  of  a 
great  industry  is  due.  The  multiplication  of  com- 
mercial Leghorn  egg  farms  all  over  the  United 
States  has  been  rapid  in  the  last  decade  and  there  seems 
to  be  no  limit  to  the  production  of  white  eggs  in  the  years 
to  come.  The  demand  for  choice  white  shelled  eggs  far 
exceeds  the  supply  at  present,  and  as  the  country  ex- 
pands, population  increases,  the  consumption  of  eggs  will 
grow  and  expand  in  a  similar  ratio,  or  if  we  mistake  not, 
will  increase  greatly  in  proportion  to  the  present  de- 
mand. The  value  of  eggs  as  food  is  being  better  under- 
stood and  appreciated  since  the  prices  of  meats  have 
soared  upward  to  a  point  where  they  become  almost  pro- 
hibitive with  many  families.  Milk,  cereals  and  eggs  con- 
sequently become  more  staple  articles  of  food  than  in 
former  years. 

It  is  true  eggs  have  advanced  in  price,  but  eggs  even 
at  five  cents  each  are  cheap,  wholesome  and  nourishing 
food. 

Potent  Influence  of  the  Leghorn  Fowl. 

The  cause  of  the  increasing  demand  and  popularity 
of  white  shelled  eggs  must  be  attributed  to  the  gradual 
and  potent  influence  of  the  Leghorn  fowl  in  shelling  out  a 
uniform  product  that  looked  fresh  and  attractive  to  the 
buyer.  A  dozen  clean  white  eggs  in  a  neat  carton  dis- 
played on  the  counters  of  first  class  grocery  and  fruit 
stores  proved  a  powerful  educator  to  the  buyer  and 
seller.  The  mixed  or  motley  looking  eggs  of  all  sizes  and 
colors  formerly  displayed  in  baskets,  no  matter  how 
fresh  they  may  have  been,  lacked  the  selling  quality  of 
the  uniform  product. 

But  when  and  where  did  this  demand — formerly  and 
erroneously  called  a  fad^originate,  is  a  mooted  question. 
-■^s  far  as  this  country  is  concerned,  we  believe  New  York 
City  was  the  first  market  that  classified  White  Leghorn 
eggs  and  put  a  premium  on  the  price  of  the  latter,  and 
it  was  in  the  early  seventies  that  this  took  place.  But 
all  white  eggs  in  those  days  were  not  laid  by  Leghorns, 
for  we  remember  most  vividly  the  first  basket  of  white 
eggs  we  ever  saw,  and  that  was  in  Yorkville,  then  a 
suburb  of  New  York  City,  now  a  densely  populated  por- 
tion of  Greater  New  York.  These  eggs  were  brought 
over  from  Long  Island  by  a  farmer  who  had  a  flock  of 
Black  Spanish  fowl,  to  the  city  markets,  where  they  were 
sold  at  a  much  higher  price  than  was  obtained  for  mixed 
lots  of  eggs  on  sale.  These  eggs  weighed  seven  to  the 
pound,  were  chalk  white  in  color  and  presented  the  most 
attractive  appearance  of  a  hen  fruit  we  ever  saw.  In  after 
years  we  remembered  these  eggs  and  at  the  first  oppor- 
tunity when  we  began  farming  in  1883,  purchased  some 
Black  Spanish  eggs  for  the  purpose  of  hatching  and 
building  up  a  flock  of  layers  that  would  produce  the  fin- 
est white  eggs  for  the  family  and  market  trade.     But  the 


Wyandotte  fever  was  too  strong  upon  us  and  we  dis- 
carded the  Spanish  to  take  up  the  Silver  Wyandottes. 
Occasionally  we  would  find  such  Spanish  eggs  in  the  mar- 
kets, but  the  advent  of  the  Leghorn  soon  crowded  out  the 
Black  Spanish,  the  latter  breed  having  become  strictly 
a  fancier's  fowl,  where  the  length  and  smoothness  of  the 
white  face  was  of  far  more  importance  than  the  beauti- 
ful large  white  eggs  the  hen  shelled  out.  The  Minorca 
also  appeared  on  the  scene  shortly  after  and  put  the  final 
kibosh  on  the  Spanish,  as  Minorcas  proved  prolific  layers 
of  large  white   shelled  eggs. 

It  was  in  the  eighties  that  "Jersey  Leghorn"  and 
"White  Leghorn  Eggs"  began  to  appear  moie  frequently 
in  the  New  York  markets,  although  all  white  shelled 
eggs,  whether  laid  by  a  Leghorn,  Houdan,  Minorca,  An- 
cona  or  Hamburg  were  sold  as  White  Leghorn  eggs.  New 
Jersey  was  the  pioneer  state  in  this  White  Leghorn 
industry  and  ranks  today  as  probably  the  greatest  Leg- 
horn state  in  the  Union,  in  the  commercial  value  of  the 
eggs,  as  well  as  in  the  quantities  produced  annually. 

In  Europe,  Denmark  has  been  actively  engaged  in  the 
production  of  high-class  eggs,  the  Danes  being  strongly 
inclined  to  favor  the  Buff  Leghorn,  which  they  can  justly 
claim  to  have  originated.  But  the  Danes  go  in  for  uni- 
formity in  size,  perhaps  more  than  they  do  for  color,  se- 


A  blue  ribbon  winner  at  Boston  and  a  typical  S.  C. 
Black  Leghorn  female  with  excellent  color  in  all 
sections.  Owned  by  Turtle  Point  Farm,  Saratoga 
Springs,  N.  Y. 


108 


THE  LEGHORNS 


lected  brands  of  Danish  eggs  weighing  28  4-5  ounces  to 
the  dozen,  while  the  average  weight  of  first  class  Leghorn 
eggs  in  this  country  will  run  24  ounces  to  the  dozen, 
and  it  is  the  2  ounce  white  egg  that  seems  to  be  most 
popular  and  profitable,  and  in  this  respect  the  white  egg 
is  King  and  the  Leghorn  hen  is  Queen. 

New  York  Hotels  Favor  White  Eggs 
The  great  hostelries  of  New  York  were  not  slow 
to  realize  the  value  of  white  shelled  eggs  for  the  breakfast 
table,  and  to  them  many  Leghorn  breeders  owe  their  start 
and  success  as  commercial  egg  farmers.  Knapp  Broth- 
ers, whose  beautiful  White  Leghorns  started  the  poul- 
try fancy  twenty  years  ago  with  their  winnings  at  Amer- 
ica's leading  shows,  were  among  the  first  poultry  raisers 
in  the  Empire  state  to  engage  in  the  production  of  White 
Leghorn  eggs  for  the  New  York  hotel  trade,  although 
James  Forsyth,  a  well  known  Leghorn  and  Houdan 
breeder  in  those  days,  also  shipped  eggs  from  his  farm 
at  Owego  to  the  Gilsey  House,  the  Knapps  sending  their 
product  to  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  if  we  are  not  mis- 
taken. The  prices  for  strictly  choice  Leghorn  eggs  at 
that  period  ranged  from  25  cents  to  45  cents  a  dozen  in 
case  lots. 

Other  hotels  followed  suit  and  began  to  make  con- 
tracts with  the  Leghorn  breeders  in  New  Jersey  and 
New  York  for  regular  supplies  of  white  eggs,  but  at 
the  old  Ashland  House,  the  headquarters  of  the  poultry- 
men  in  New  York  for  many  years,  Mine  Host,  Brock- 
way,  stood  pat  with  his  famous  brown  eggs  (and  excellent 
eggs  they  were),  the  best  Mr.  Brockway  could  buy  from 
New  England  egg  farms. 

California  Egg  Farms 

But  New  York  is  not  alone  in  the  white  egg  field. 
The  demand  for  fresh  white  shelled  eggs  is  becoming 
general  in  all  parts  of  the  country,  the  Pacific  Coast  being 
especially  partial  to  them,  the  Petaluma  district  in 
California  being  one  great  white  egg  market,  in  fact 
California  is  destined  to  be  the  greatest  Leghorn  country 


of  the  future,  to  judge  by  the  reports  received  from  dis- 
interested observers  of  the  commercial  egg  farm  indus- 
try in  that  state. 

John  F.  Ritz,  a  successful  poultry  breeder  and  judge 
of  Pennsylvania,  visited  the  Pacific  Coast  last  winter  and 
furnished  us  with  some  interesting  data  relating  to  Leg- 
horns in   that  country.     Mr.   Ritz  writes: 

"As  to  Leghorns,  California  is  the  Leghorn  state  and 
it  is  safe  to  say  that  75  per  cent  of  the  poultiy  in  that 
state  are  Leghorns.  In  or  about  Petaluma  98  per  cent 
are  Leghorns,  and  Petaluma  is  the  greatest  chicken  city  in 
the  L'nited  States,  in  fact  there  is  no  other  business  but 
chickens  and  poultry  supplies  in  the  whole  town  of  8,000 
inhabitants  and  I  believe  there  are  three  million  Leghorns 
within  a  radius  of  20  miles  of  Petaluma.  As  to  figures 
and  prices,  will  say  they  sell  their  old  hens  by  the  dozen, 
they  bring  from  $5.00  to  $6.00  per  dozen,  and  pullets 
$9.00  to  $10.00.  Eggs  bring  much  more  than  we  get  in 
the  East.  On  November  20th  eggs  were  bringing  in " 
Petaluma  54  cents  cash  and  56  cents  on  time.  I  wanted 
to  know  what  time  was  and  was  informed  that  if  the 
poultrymen  wait  14  days  for  the  money  they  get  56  cents, 
there  is  no  commission  or  express  of¥  those  prices,  but 
cash  for  all  one  brings  in,  and  while  I  was  walking  about 
the  town  I  saw  not  less  than  a  car  load  of  eggs  come 
in  on  wagons,  some  had  one  crate,  others  two  and  so  on, 
many  of  them  bring  eggs  in  every  day,  the  same  as  we  do 
here  with  milk,  ana  you  would  very  seldom  see  a  wagon 
m  the  town  unless  it  had  eggs,  chickens,  feed  or  incu- 
bators on  it." 

Poultry   Census  of  Hayward,  California 

J.  W.  Caldwell.  Secretary  of  the  Hayward  Poultry 
Producers'  Association,  Inc.,  in  response  to  our  letter 
asking  for  data  relating  to  the  commercial  Leghorn 
farms  in  his  section,  reports  the  following  interesting 
figures  relative  to  the  poultry  industry: 

Number  of  poultry  ranches   167 

Hens   carried    63.920 

Hens    prospective    for    1912 98,765 

"Japanese  have  some  1,550  hens.  The  poultry  indus- 
try of  Hayward  and  vicinity  is  of  recent  date  and  is 
growing  by  leaps  and  bounds.  We  have  a  very  pro- 
gressive poultry  association  for  the  purpose  of  buying 
feed,  etc.  and  the  disposing  of  eggs  and  poultry." 


View  on  Spring  Water  Poultry  Farm,  Stockton,  N.  J.,  showing  brooder  house  and  runs,  and  to  the  left  the  in- 
cubator cellar  with  laying  house  above.  S.  C.  White  Leghorns  are  bred  on  this  plant.  A  glimpse  of  the 
residence  o£  Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  J.  Eppele,  props..  Is  also  shown.  After  visiting  nearly  fifty  poultry  farms  in  America 
during  the  fall  of  1911.  Dr.  Schulke,  of  Trittau,  near  Hamburg,  Germany,  remarked:  "In  a  way  this  plant  did 
not  look  to  me  like  a  poultry  farm;  it  reminded  me  more  of  a  German  Military  Station,  where  everything  has  Its 
place  and  everything  is  in  its  place." 


THE   LEGHORNS 


109 


This  is  a  remarkable  showing  for  a  single  township 
to  make,  the  increase  of  nearly  35,000  hens  in  twelve 
months  indicating  the  rapid  growth  of  the  business  being 
noteworthy.  If  other  townships  in  California  show  the 
same  ratio  of  increase,  the  poultry  census  for  the  entire 
state  will  prove  a  revelation,  as  well  as  an  inspiration  to 
poultry  raisers  of  the  United  States,  and  more  especially 
so  to  the  advocates  of  the  American  hen,  who  through 
their  earnest  efforts  and  hard  work  have  succeeded  in 
building  up  a  billion  dollar  industry  in  the  country. 

In  Colorado  and  New  Mexico  Leghorn  egg  farms 
are  being  rapidly  developed  in  order  to  meet  the  largely 
increasing  demand  for  the  spotless  fresh  white  egg  by 
the  sanitariums  in  the  Rockies  and  by  the  grocers  and 
soda  water  fountain  caterers  in  the  cities.  One  Leghorn 
farm  in  New  Mexico  carries  10,000  layers  annually,  the 
eggs  produced  bringing  from  45  to  75  cents  a  dozen,  ac- 
cording to  the  season.  The  many  sanitariums  located  in 
the  mountain  sections  of  New  Mexico  and  Colorado  are 
the  heaviest  buyers  of  these  strictly  choice  eggs,  as  the 
latter  form  one  of  the  chief  foods  of  the  thousands  of  in- 
valids who  winter  there  in  search  of  health. 

White  Eggs  in  the  South  and  East 
And  southward  also  the  white  egg  is  becoming  a  great 
market  commodity.  In  Washington,  D.  C,  and  Rich- 
mond, Va.,  White  Leghorn  eggs  command  the  top  notch 
prices,  which  has  stimulated  poultry  industry  to  such  an 
extent  that  Leghorn  farms  are  being  established  in  large 
numbers  below  the  Mason  and  Dixon  line.  Even  in  staid 
old  Boston,  where  the  brown  shelled  egg  is  esteemed 
as  highly,  and  valued  as  dearly  as  the  traditional  Boston 
beans  and  brown  bread,  the  little  white  body  of  the 
feathered  tribe,  the  Leghbrn,  is  gradually  obtaining  rec- 
ognition and  white  shelled  eggs  are  no  longer  consid- 
ered a  New  York  fad,  but  have  found  favor  with  some 
hotel  stewards  and  in  the  markets.  The  story  of  brown 
■eggs  being  better  than  white  ones  is  all  moonshine,  but 
originated  in  England,  owing  to  the  fact  that  dark  shelled 
eggs  were  preferred  to  white  ones,  because  the  former 
were  home  grown,  the  white  ones  imported,  consequently 
the  brown  ones  were  fresher.  Perhaps  the  descendants 
of  the  Puritans  and  Pilgrims  may  have  inherited  this  be- 
lief from  their  English  ancestors,  which  may  in  a  meas- 
ure, account  for  the  popularity  of  brown  eggs  in  Boston 
and  other  New   England  cities  in  the  past. 

Why  the  Leghorn  is  Popular 

The  reason  for  this  great  popularity  of  the  Leghorn 
hen  as  a  producer  of  white  eggs  is  due  to  her  ability  to 
produce  the  largest  number  of  marketable  eggs  at  the 
lowest  possible  cost  of  maintenance  under  varying  and 
trying  conditions  in  all  climates. 

Being   naturally  a   hardy  fowl   with   a   quick,   nervous 


temperament,  the  Leghorn  will  respond  to  the  intelligent 
care  and  treatment  of  the  poultry  raiser  more  satis- 
factorily than  most  other  breeds.  It  will  work  where 
other  breeds  loaf. 

Leghorns  As  Layers 

The  old  saying  "The  hen  that  lays  is  the  one  that 
pays"  might  have  been  true  when  applied  to  farmers'  hens 
that  picked  most  of  their  living  on  the  farms  and  in  the 
barnyards,  but  today  with  higher  prices  of  grain  and  a 
most  exacting  market  as  to  the  quality  of  the  eggs,  it  is 
the  hen  that  lays  the  two-ounce  egg  of  superior  qual- 
ity that  pays  for  her  keep  and  leaves  a  balance  on  the 
light  side  of  the  ledger.  This  the  Leghorn  hen  can  do 
and  do  well. 

In  Farmer's  Bulletin,  No.  51,  issued  by  the  United 
States  Department  of  Agriculture,  Washington,  D.  C, 
the  Leghorns  are  classed  as  follows; 

"Leghorns  are  the  best  known  of  the  egg  producing 
varieties  of  the  Mediterranean  class.  They  are  the  premiers 
in  laying  and  the  standard  by  which  the  prolificness  of 
other  breeds  is  judged.  The  Leghorn  fowl  holds  the 
same  place  among  poultry  that  the  Jersey  holds  among 
cattle.  The  question  of  profit  in  poultry  has  been  decided 
in  favor  of  the  egg  producing  breeds.  Leghorns  are  lively, 
active  and  of  a  restless  disposition,  the  best  of  foragers 
and  will  pick  up  a  good  deal  of  their  living  during  the 
year.  They  are  light  eaters  and  the  cost  of  raising  them 
to  maturity  is  about  one-half  of  the  Asiatic  varieties. 
They  mature  early  and  feather  quickly,  the  pullets  often 
begin  laying  when  four  and  a  half  months  old.  They  are 
the  best  of  layers,  averaging  between  ISO  to  200  eggs 
a  year.  These  eggs  are  pure  white  in  color  and  weigh 
about  ten  to  the  pound.  As  table  'fowl  they  are  fairly 
good;  by  many  they  are  considered  excellent;  the  only 
thing  that  can  be  said  against  them  is  that  they  are  small 
in  size.  Altogether,  they  are  one  of  the  most  profitable 
breeds  of  poultry  that  can  be  kept  on  the  farm,  and  the 
cheapness  of  their  keeping  will  allow  the  raising  of  two 
Leghorns  for  the  cost  of  one  Asiatic.  The  White  Leghorn 
is  the  most  generally  bred  of  the  Leghorn  varieties.  It 
is,  no  doubt,  the  most  advantageous  to  breed  for  profit 
and  the  easiest  to  raise  on  the  farm.  Being  of  one  color 
in  plumage,  these  birds  are  more  successfully  raised  and 
cared  for  than  the  parti-colored  varieties.  It  has  been  a 
matter  of  much  speculation  as  to  which  variety  of  Leg- 
horns is  most  prolific  in  egg  production.  This  is  a  dif- 
ficult question  to  adjust  properly  to  the  satisfaction  of 
the  specialty  breeders,  but  from  a  conservative  stand- 
point, it  is  generally  considered  that  the  Whites  have 
slightly  the  advantage  over  the  others.  Phenomenal  indi- 
■  vidual  egg  records  have  been  made  by  almost  all  varie- 
ties, but  the  foregoing  opinion  is  based  upon  the  general 
results  obtained  from  various  sources." 

When  Leghorns  are  kept  under  intensive  culture  on 
commercial  egg  farms,  the  results  will  even  be  more  sat- 
isfactory '  than  the  above  summary  of  the  value  of  farm 
raised  Leghorns  as  layers  goes  to  show.  Eggs  from  such 
egg  farms  are  larger  in  size,  in  fact,  will  often  exceed  2 
ounces  each,  but  the  marketable  eggs  will  average  eight 
to  the  pound  in  most  flocks.    As  a  Leghorn  hen  will,  when 


¥VJ¥ 


Laid  229   eggs 


no 


THE   LEGHORNS 


selected  from  a  laying  strain,  shell  out  twelve  dozen 
eggs  a  year,  a  good  profit  will  be  assured  to  the  keeper, 
provided  he  can  keep  his  expenses  within  reasonable 
bounds  and  retain  the  trade  that  demands  and  pays  for 
the  highest  grade  eggs.  As  it  costs  from  $1.00  to  $1.50 
per  capita  to  feed  Leghorns  one  year,  the  cost  of  each 
egg  produced  would  be  a  little  less  than  one  cent  for 
the  feed  alone.  To  this  must  be  added  the  cost  of  th^ 
labor,  interest  on  investment  and  shipping  and  marketing 
expenses,  which  vary  considerably  in  different  localities 
and  according  to  the  size  of  the  poultry  farm. 

200  Egg  Layers 

The  "200  egg  hen"  has  been  exploited  in  print  so  fre- 
quently and  persistently  that  the  impression  has  been 
created  that  large  flocks  of  White  Leghorns  exist  in 
which  the  yearly  average  of  the  hens  is  200  eggs  per 
capita.  That  individual  Leghorn  hens  have  laid  200  eggs 
in  one  year  is  true,  and  some  specimens  have  even  done 
much  better  than  that,  but  these  are  the  exceptions,  not 
the  rule.  That  at  some  future  time  flocks  of  Leghorns 
will  be  bred  to  lay  200  eggs  per  hen  annually  seems 
reasonable  to  suppose,  as  by  continued  and  careful  selec- 
tion of  the  best  layers,  the  producing  capacity  of  the 
flock  will  be  gradually  increased  to  the  limit  consistent 
with  old  Dame  Nature's  laws. 

Personally,  we  believe  a  safe  and  profitable  limit  to 
be  150  eggs  per  annum,  these  eggs  to  be  produced  at  a 
season  when  eggs  bring  the  highest  prices.  Hens  can  be 
forced  to  reach  this  limit  and  have  sufficient  time  left  to 
moult  and  repair  the  strain  to  the  system  caused  by  con- 
tinuous heavy   laying. 

Building   Up  a  200  Egg   Strain 

What  we,  in  our  opinion,  consider  the  first  systematic 
experiment  to  build  up  a  strain  of  260  egg  layers,  was 
begun  by  Charles  Adair  at  the  Cyphers  Incubator  Com- 
pany's Farm,  Elma,  New  York,  several  years  ago.  Mr. 
Adair,  who  has  charge  of  the  latter,  is  a  most  enthusiastic, 
hard  working  and  painstaking  poultryman,  one  who  has 
the  true  Missourian  creed  of  "I  want  to  be  shown."  In 
other  words  he  takes  nothing  for  granted,  but  wants 
the  facts  to  prove  his  case. 

A  little  over  two  years  ago  he  purchased  four  hun- . 
dred  White  Leghorn  hens  that  had  a  pen  average  of  lay- 
ing 185  4-5  eggs  per  capita  in  one  year.  He  has  now 
167  hens,  two  years  old  that  by  trap-nest  method  have 
laid  200  eggs  each  or  better.  One  hundred  and  four  of 
their  daughters  (yearlings  now)  in  lOyi  months  averaged 
180  eggs  each.  On  December  1,  1911,  Mr.  Adair  had  600 
pullets  bred  from  the  "200-egg  hens,"  besides  a  large  num- 
ber of  cocks  and  cockerels  of  the  same  blood.     The  ex- 


periments will  be  continued  on  a  large  scale  each  year 
and  the  matings  will  be  confined  to  the  same  line  of  blood, 
i.  e.,  the  males  from  the  most  prolific  laying  dams  will  be 
mated  to  hens  that  have  made  records  of  200  eggs  or 
over  and  to  their  pullets. 

The  illustrations  on  this  and  pages  109,  111,  112, 
are  from  photographs  of  the  most  prolific  layers  on  the 
farm.  The  laying  record  made  by  each  is  printed  below. 
The  latter  are  remaikable  in  showing  what  can  be  accom- 
plished by  intelligent  and  scientific  selection  of  hens  that 
have  equalled  or  passed  the  200  egg  per  year  mark,  in 
having  this  egg  laying  trait  perpetrated  in  their  progeny. 

The  building  up  of  the  great  milk  and  butter  strains 
of  Jersey  and  Holstein  cattle  was  founded  on  the  careful 
selection  of  the  cows  that  produced  the  largest  milk  and 
butter  records,  and  breeding  them  to  their  sires  that  de- 
scended from  dams  of  known  or  equal  proficiency  in  this 
respect.  "Like  begets  like,"  an  old  and  true  saying,  is 
even  more  potent  in  the  transmission  of  the  practical  pro- 
ducing qualities  of  animals  than  it  is  in  the  breed  charac- 
teristics of  type  and  color. 

But  as  far  as  poultry  culture  is  concerned,  this  great 
law  has  not  received  the  attention  or  intelligent  applica- 
tion from  poultry  breeders  which  it  deserves. 

No  doubt  it  will  take  more  time,  patience  and  per- 
severance to  select  the  "hens  that  pay"  than  it  does  to 
select  the  heavy  milkers,  but  in  the  end  it  will  prove  the 
most  profitable  business  a  poultryman  has  ever  under- 
taken. 

The  feed  the  "200  egg  hen"  consumes  is  not  much 
greater  than  that  of  the  one  that  lays  an  even  hundred  or 
less. 

Remove  the  drones  and  keep  the  busy  bees — the 
layers. 

Retail  Prices  of  Eggs 

One  of  the  shrewdest,  oldest  and  most  successful 
poultry  breeders  in  the  United  States,  a  man  who  has 
made  a  fortune  in  breeding  one  variety  of  poultry,  re- 
cently remarked  when  questioned  as  to  the  poultry  busi- 
ness being  overdone,  "Why,  it  has  not  begun  yet." 

And  in  no  other  branch  of  the  poultry  industry  is  this 
more  observable,  applicable  than  in  the  egg  business. 
The  latter  is  still  in  its  infancy.  Fresh  eggs  at  this  writ- 
ing (December,  1911)  are  at  a  premium.  This  is  es- 
pecially so  with  the  higher  grade  of  eggs  as  the  following 
prices  marked  by  the  leading  retail  grocers  in  New  York 
will  show: 

Nevv'  York,  November  22,  1911. 
Acker,   Merrill   &   Condit 

Selected    40    cents 

Maplehurst  Fresh    51  cents 

Germless  White  Leghorn 73  cents 


THE   LEGHORNS 


Park  &  Tilford 

Ordinary    48  cents 

Extra  Fresh  White 68  cents 

Charles  &  Co. 

Very  best   Leghorn 70   cents 

Fresh    56  cents 

Selected    52  cents 

Ordinary    36  cents 

The  range  of  prices  given  above  points  out  the  rela- 
tive value  of  the  different  grades.  These  prices  are  some- 
what higher  than  in  1910,  although  the  price  of  guaran- 
teed fresh  White  Leghorn  eggs  has  not  changed  ma- 
terially in  the  past  few  years,  as  the  demand  is  far  greater 
than  the  supply.  The  germless  brand  of  White  Leghorn 
eggs  seldom  drops  below  70  cents  in  the  fall  and  winter 
months.  Germless  eggs  are  sterile  and  are  conceded  to 
keep  better  than  fertile  eggs.  The  latter  will  spoil  quickly 
when  subjected  to  a  temperature  of  85  or  more  degrees 
for  any  length  of  time. 

Where  eggs  are  sent  to  hotels  and  first-class  retailers, 

the  price  for  fancy  strictly  White  Leghorn  eggs  will  bring 

in  case  lots  as  high  as  40  cents  a  dozen  the  year  around. 

In   Buffalo,   New   York,   the   retail  prices   of  eggs   on 

December  1st,  were  as  follows: 

Western  storage,  24  cents  per  dozen. 

New  York  State   (storage)   32  cents  per  dozen. 

Fresh  eggs  in  cartons,  55  cents  per  dozen. 

Extra  selected  strictly  fresh,  60  cents  per  dozen. 

The  extra  se- 
lects are  nearby 
products  that  are 
received  every 
other  day,  the 
fresh  eggs  in  car- 
tons being  re- 
c  e  i  V  e  d  weekly. 
i'^^^^t  One  of  the  lead- 
i  n  g  department 
stores  reports  a 
great  scarcity  of 
strictly  fresh 
eggs  on  this 
date,  only  small 
consignments  of 
five  or  six  doz- 
en being  re- 
ceived occasion- 
ally. These  sell 
readily  at  SO  to 
55  cents  per  doz- 
en. Last  year 
this   fi.m   paid   50 

,     ^      1.  -TKTv.-^    TV        -tr        T    ij     cents    per    dozen 

ig-le  Comb  White  Leghorn  Hen.    Laid      .  .     ,       ^       , 

238  eggs  in  one  year.  for    strictly    fresh 


eggs — guaranteed 
and  retailed  them 
at  55  cents  per 
dozen.  It  is  fair 
to  assume  then 
that  55  to  60 
cents  per  dozen 
for  fresh  laid 
eggs  are  the  rul- 
ing prices  in  Buf- 
falo at  this  sea- 
son of  the  year. 
Germless  White 
Leghorn  eggs, 
however,  rule  as 
high  in  price  in 
Buffalo  as  in 
New  York,  but 
the  produc- 
tion of  this  brand 
of  eggs  is  limited 
to  one  large  poul- 
try farm  at  pres-  single 'comb  Wl  ite  Leghorn  Hen.  Laid 
ent    in     this     sec-  242  eggs  in  one  year, 

t  i  o  n      of      the 

Empire  State.  Several  new  Leghorn  egg  farms 
with  large  egg  producing  capacity  have  been 
started  in  the  vicinity  of  Buffalo  in  the  past  year  and 
when  these  large  plants  are  fully  stocked  with  White 
Leghorns  next  season,  the  supply  of  high  grade  white 
eggs  will  be  materially  increased.  No  doubt  but  the  de- 
mand for  eggs  will  increase  in  the  same  or  even  greater 
ratio  as  the  supply. 

Wholesale  Egg  Prices 

Following  are  the  wholesale  egg  quotations  on  De- 
cember 4,  1911:  Per  doz. 

New  York,  fresh  gathered  extras 42  to  44c 

Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania  and  nearby  firsts.... 36  to  44c 

Chicago,  firsts,  grading  45  per  cent  fresh 28  to  30c 

St.   Louis,   extras 34     cents 

Kansas   City,   extra 34     cents 

Boston,   fancy   eastern 48  to  50c 

Indianapolis,    extra    fresh 35     cents 

San  Francisco,  firsts  and  fresh  ranch  extras 45  to  51c 

Petaluma,   extras    SOJ^  cents 

As  the  latter  city  is  the  center  of  the  White  Leghorn 
egg  industry  in  California,  the  following  table  of  ship- 
ments for  one  week  will  convey  some  idea  of  the  extent 
of  the  egg  business  in  that  city.  Eggs 

1911  Dozen 

Monday,  November  20   12,888 

Tuesday,  November  21   20,808 

Wednesday,    November   22 13,068 

Thursday,  November  23   12,528 

Friday,  November  24 15,084 

Saturday,  November  25   14,760 

Total  89,136 


No.   1—4470 
Laid  248  eggs 


No.   1—4481 
Laid  218   eggs 


No.  1—4486 
Laid  216  eggs 


112 


THE   LEGHORNS 


The  ca>h  value  of  these  >hii>iiieiU>  will  exceed  over 
$4U,000  fur  the  Veek,  a  must  gratifying  demonstration  uf 
the  far  reaching  importance  of  co-operative  organization 
among  producers  for  the  purpose  of  marketing  their  pro- 
ducts in  the  best  possible  condition  to  realize  the  high- 
est prices. 

We  have  quoted  the  highest  prices  obtained  in  the  re- 
tail and  wholesale  markets  of  the  United  States  for  the 
best  grades  of  eggs  only,  as  a  progressive  farmer  or 
practical  poultry  raiser  should  aim  to  produce  and  market 


the  history  of  their  distribution  as  do  the  men 
who  linally  devour  them. 

"To  these   fir-t   ;iim1  la-t  {>• 
duct,  the  eggs  arc  (.iilur  .^ I 


/omer 


"JOSEPHINE 


First  R. 
Boston.  1911. 
Springs,  N.  Y. 

only  the  best.  It  means  a  difference  of  twenty  cents  per 
dozen  to  those  vi'ho  deliver  the  right  kind  of  goods,  as 
the  quotations  for  ordinary  mixed  eggs  of  uncertain  age 
and  doubtful  quality  will  range  from  20  to  30  cents  per 
dozen  below  those  of  prime  or  fancy  quality.  The  com- 
mercial egg  trade  conducted  in  the  large  markets  of  the 
United  States  is  a  business  requiring  the  keenest  judg- 
ment on  the  part  of  the  buyer  and  seller. 

The  Egg  Trade 

I~rom  the  "Grocers'  Encyclopedia,"  one  of  the  most 
valuable  and  authentic  books  of  its  kind,  we  reprint  the 
*ollowing  comprehensive  article  on  the  egg  trade: 

"The  original  owners  of  the  eggs  know  as  little  about 


-sons  who  handle  the  pro- 
or  bad,  and  there's  an  end 
on  it.  But  to  the  ni.m  \\h<,  hniKlIes  them  between  the  farm 
and  the  breakfast  table  they  are  Fancy.  Fresh,  Fresh 
Gathered,  Storage  Tacked,  Storage,  Limed,  Known  Marks, 
Extras,  Firsts,  Seconds.  Dirties,  Checks,  etc.  The  dis- 
tinctions become  very  necessary  when  one  realizes  that 
practically  the  whole  enormous  egg  business  is  conducted 
by  telegraph  and  that  the  dealer  who  purchases  a  car- 
load of  eggs  has  no  opportunity  to  examine  them  until 
they  arrive. 

"With  the  exception  of  those  which,  because  of  their 
proxiinity  to  a  large  city,  can  profitably  be  shipped  by  ex- 
press, eggs  always  travel  in  refrigerator  cars — winter  as 
well  as  Slimmer,  for  the  heavy  construction  of  the  peram- 
bulating ice  chests  is  equally  serviceable  for  protection 
against  cold  and  heat.  One  carload  contains  four  hundred 
cases,  or  one  hundred  and  forty-four  thousand  eggs. 

"On  large  poultry  farms,  eggs  are  produced  and 
handled  very  much  as  the  product  of  any  other  factory — 
the  poultry  man  knows  his  cost  of  production  by  dozen 
or  case — but  the  greater  part  of  the  country's  egg  supply 
is  still  represented  by  accumulations  from  thousands  of 
.uenernl   f;irniers  scattered  all  over  the  country. 

"The  history  of  one  of  these  farm  eggs  reads  like  'a 
uatheriny  of  the  clans.'  The  hen  that  laid  it  may  be  the 
I>ro|iLrty  of  a  small  farmer  in  a  Western  state,  located 
titty  or  a  hundred  miles  froin  the  nearest  good-sized  town. 
lilt  e.yg  is  one  of  a  dozen  that  the  farmer  takes  to  the 
lu•are^t  village  store  and  either  sells  for  a  small  sum  of 
money  or  barters  for  sugar,  calico,  tobacco  or  some  other 
commodity  that  he  needs  more  than  he  needs  eggs. 

"Other  farmers  in  the  neighborhood  are  doing  the 
same  and  the  store  is  thus  the  recruiting  station  for  a 
goodly  coinpany  of  eggs  that  must  necessarily  find  a  mar- 
ket somewhere  else.  These  eggs  are  sent  to  a  larger  cen- 
ter, where  they  pass  into  the  control  of  a  large  or  small 
shipper  who  mobilizes  them,  to  continue  the  figure,  no 
longer  by  companies  but  by  battalions,  regiments  and 
armies — i.  e.,  carloads. 

"When  the  shipper  has  a  carload  of  eggs  ready  for  the 
eastern  market,  he  telegraphs  the  fact  to  an  eastern 
dealer.  A  certain  amount  of  dickering  goes  on  over  the 
wire,  and  the  eggs  are  finally  sent  East.  The  eggs  are  not 
though  for  immediate  consumption,  hence  the  necessity 
for  the  refrigerator  car  and  the  storage  warehouse  to  re- 
tain the  condition  m  which  they  were  purchased. 

"Comparatively  few  eggs  are  found  to  be  bad,  and  all 
shipments  are  now  sold  'at  mark,'  a  technical  way  of  say- 
ing that  a  case  of  eggs  at  wholesale  is  supposed  to  be 
within  a  small  percentage  of  the  requirements  or  stand- 
ard of  each  grade,  and  there  is  no  rebate  for  damaged 
eggs.  Formerly  there  was  a  rebate  during  a  part  of  the 
year  that  was  called  the  'loss  off'  season,  because  a  cer- 
tain percentage  of  the  eggs  were  not  expected  to  coine 
up  to  the  standard  of  the  various  grades. 

"There  are  very  few  disputes  between  shippers  and 
dealers  that  are  not  settled  peaceably  between  the  persons 
directly  concerned,  but  occasionally  they  form  the  basis 
of  expert  examination  by  either  the  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce or  Fruit  and  Produce  Exchange  inspectors,  some- 
times, indeed,  getting  as  far  as  the  Arbitration  Com- 
mittee." 


THE   LEGHORNS 


Care  in  Selecting  and  Shipping  Eggs 

To  produce  the  strictly  fresh  and  choice  white  eggs 
that  command  the  top  notch  prices  in  the  best  markets  is 
a  serious  business,  requiring  honesty  of  purpose  and  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  art  of  feeding  and  handling 
of  the  laying  stock  to  obtain  the  best  results.  An  egg 
must  be  above  suspicion,  for  like  butter,  it  is  easily  tainted 
if  improper  food  and  unsanitary  conditions  are  tolerated 
by  the  producer.  For  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the 
eggs  that  bring  the  highest  prices  furnish  the  substantial 
portion  of  the  morning  meal  in  many  instances,  while 
they  are  often  the  chief  food  given  to  invalids  in  sani- 
tariums. Such  eggs  must  not  only  be  absolutely  fresh, 
but  palatable  as  well. 

An  egg  is  an  egg  with  the  majority  of  people  and  as 
long  as  it  is  edible,  it  will  pass  without  any  serious  loss 
to  its  reputation  as  an  article  of  food.  But  there  are  thou- 
sands of  consumers  that  know  the  difference  between  the 
fresh,  rich  and  fine  flavored  egg  and  the  ordinary  storage 
or  badly  handled  farmer's  eggs. 

We  had  considerable  experience  in  the  egg  business 
twenty-five  years  ago  catering  to  private  families  and  a 
hospital  in  New  York  City.  It  was  a  side  line  with  us, 
while  engaged  in  dairy  farming  in  New  York  State.  As 
our  own  flocks  could  not  supply  the  demand  for  strictly 
fresh  eggs,  we  made  contracts  with  farmers  and  small 
poultry  raisers  in  our  vicinity  to  deliver  strictly  fresh 
eggs  twice  a  week,  paying  five  cents  a  dozen  above  the 
market  price  for  all  such  eggs.     . 

We  experienced  little  or  no  trouble  in  getting  the-pro- 
ducers  to  live  up  to  their  contracts,  as  far  as  the  smaller 
poultry  raisers  were  concerned,  the  latter  being  principally 
women,  who  took  great  care  of  their  poultry  and  could  be 
depended  on  to  get  even  a  good  supply  of  fresh  eggs  from 
their  hens  in  October,  November  and  December,  when 
eggs  were  at  a  premium.  The  hens  kept  on  these  small 
plants  were  principally  White  and  Brown  Leghorns,  but 
with  our  easy  going  neighbors,  the  farmers,  we  had  more 
or  less  trouble.  We  could  not  always  depend  on  their 
delivering  the  goods  as  per  agreement,  especially  in  the 
fall  of  the  year,  when  their  hens  failed  to  shell  out  the 
required  number  of  eggs.  It  was  at  such  times  that  we 
were  compelled  to  examine  the  eggs  very  closely,  as  some 
of  our  neighbors  would  work  off  the  eggs  salted  down  in 
the  summer  months,  for  fresh  ones  supposed  to  have  been 
laid  in  the  fall.  Neither  could  we  always  depend  on  the  fresh 
laid  eggs  being  carefully  and  systematically  gathered  on 
such  farms.  It  was  the  old  story  of  the  farmer  who  would 
give  his  horses  the  best  of  care,  feed  and  groom  his  cows 
to  produce  the  cleanest  and  richest  milk,  yet  allow  the 
hens  to  shift  for  themselves. 


Yet  the  gross  profit  per  cow  would  rarely  exceed  $25 
per  annum,  whereas  a  flock  of  twenty-five  Leghorns  would 
pay  him  a  net  profit  of  twenty-five  dollars  a  year,  even 
at  the  lower  prices  of  eggs  in  force  twenty-five  years  ago. 

The  Cause  of  Poor  Eggs  in  Our  Markets 

This  indifference  of  the  farmer  toward  the  hens  on  his 
farm,  is  the  cause  of  the  thousands  of  dozens  of  poor, 
stale  and  unattractive  eggs  finding  their  way  into  our 
markets.  Commission  dealers  have  been  justly  censured 
and  fined  at  times  for  disposing  of  "rots  and  spots,"  but 
in  order  to  get  a  supply  of  the  latter,  there  must  be  a 
source,  and  it  needs  no  Sherlock  Holmes  to  discover 
the  latter. 

An  egg  gathered  the  day  it  is. laid  will  keep  in  edible 
condition  a  very  long  time  if  kept  in  a  temperature  not 
exceeding  fifty-five  degrees  to  sixty  degrees.  With  our 
excellent  cold  storage  plants  eggs  that  are  sweet  and 
sound  when  placed  in  the  latter,  will  be  found  fit  for 
consumption  months  afterward. 

There  can  be  no  reasonable  excuse  then  for  the  ex- 
istence of  the  "rots  and  spots"  and  all  other  kinds  of  stale 
eggs  in  our  markets. 

We  believe  the  commercial  Leghorn  egg  farms  of  the 
United  States  to  be  indirectly  responsible  for  the  gradual 
higher  standardization  of  the  American  egg  trade.  The 
men  who  have  engaged  in  this  industry  have  built  up 
large  plants,  equipped  them  with  thousands  of  White 
Leghorns  and  found  a  most  profitable  market  for  their 
products. 

The  smaller  poultry  raisers  have  taken  their  cue  from 
larger  ones  and  better,  cleaner  and  more  uniform  pro- 
ducts are  the  result. 

The  farmers  of  this  country  are  slowly  beginning  to 
realize  the  value  of  applying  intelligent  methods  in  hand- 
ling their  poultry  products,  thanks  to  the  good  work  done 
by  the  agricultural  and  poultry  press  and  agricultural  ex- 
periment stations. 

What  the  thrifty  Danes  did  in  building  up  a  great  co- 
operative egg  trade,  that  has  made  the  Danish  egg  almost 
as  famous  as  the  Danish  butter,  can  be  accomplished  by 
the  farmers  of  the  United  States. 

In  the  succeeding  articles  of  this  chapter,  the  methods 
of  successful  commercial  Leghorn  farmers  are  given. 
They  will  bear  most  careful  study  by  all  persons  interested 
in  making  poultry  pay,  and  pay  well.  What  applies  to 
Leghorns  as  profitable  producers  of  eggs  and  squab 
broilers  will  apply  with  but  little  modification  to  all  other 
laying  breeds.  It's  the  quality  of  the  product,  rather  than 
the  source  of  it,  that  determines  its  market  value. 


A  POPULAR  STYLE  OF  POULTRY  HOUSE   IN  THE  VINELAND,  N.  J.,  DISTRICT. 


In    this    tract,   which     has    become     noted   for   the  number  of  Whi 
individual    plot    of    ground,    whether    town    lot    or    farm,    seems    to    have 
follows   that    the   poultry    houses   and   appliances 
Illustrated    herewith    is   on    the    poultry    plant   of 


15    by    20    fee 


continuous"     type. 


Leghorns  kept  for  egg  production,   every 
flock    of    White    Leghorns.      Naturally    It 
very    simple    and    decidedly    practical.       The     house 
hinson,    Vineland,    N.    J.      "    '-    "'    "- "    """    ' 
It    holds    500    White    Leghorns.      Most    laying    houses    on 
of     the     new     houses     are     being   built    with    a    hood    roof. 


White  Leghorn  Farms  of  Vineland,  N.  J. 

Fortunately  Situated  Within  Easy  Distance  of  the  Greatest  Markets  in  this  Country,  Possessing  an  Excellent 

Climate    and    Suitable    Soil.  Vineland,  N.  J.,  is    Establishing    a    Reputation    for    Marketing    Prime 

Quality    White  Leghorn  Eggs   That  Bring  a  Premium  Over    the   Highest   New  York 

Prices.     Wholesale    Production    of    Eggs    in    a    Retail    Manner. 

Co-Operative  Selling  of   Market  Eggs. 


VINELAND  is  situated  in  southern  New  Jersey  on 
the  border  of  the  pine  belt,  and  the  wind  coming 
from  the  north  carries  the  aroma  of  the  woods 
and  is  tempered  by  the  trees  in  its  coming.  Vineland 
lies  between  Delaware  Bay  and  the  seashore,  and  the 
warm  gulf  stream  that  flows  up  the  eastern  coast  gives 
to  this  region  a  mild  and  equable  climate.  The  soil  is 
sand — there  can  be  no  doubt  about  that.  There  is  white 
sand,  and  yellow  sand  and  blue  sand  frosted  with  white. 
This  was  once  a  part  of  the  prehistoric  bed  of  the  Atlantic 
Ocean.  The  ground  quickly  becomes  barren  when  chick- 
ens run  on  it,  but  it  does  not  become  tainted  because  its 
porous  nature  permits  it  to  cleanse  itself  like  a  sieve 
filled  with  water. 

The  city  of  Vineland  itself  covers  a  square  mile,  but 
what  is  known  as  the  "Vineland  tract"  embraces  the 
whole  of  Landis  township.  Within  a  radius  of  three  or 
four  miles  from  Vineland  City  S.  C.  White  Leghorns  are 
kept  for  the  production  of  eggs  on  almost  every  indi- 
vidual plot  of  ground.  During  a  drive  through  that  com- 
munity one  day  I  saw  more  poultry  houses  than  I  had 
ever  seen  before  in  a  much  longer  journey  among  poul- 
try farms.  The  secretary  of  the  Vineland  Poultry  Asso- 
ciation estimates  that  there  are  over  eighty-five  thousand 
White  Leghorn  hens  and  pullets  on  'this  Vineland  tract. 
The  different  flocks  range  in  size  from  a  few  fowls  kept 
in  back  yards  to  one  plant  where  two  thousand  birds 
are  kept. 


The  Different  Methods  Employed 

Poultry  culture  is  becoming  more  and  more  of  a 
science.  The  experience  of  different  poultry  keepers  is 
recorded  and  classified.  Poultry  operations  may  never 
be  conducted  with  absolute  certainty,  for  unknown  causes 
will  continually  be  potent  factors  with  which  it  is  quite 
impossible  always  to  cope  successfully.  However,  today 
an  experienced  poultryman  can  forecast  the  result  of  the 
season's  work  with  greater  certainty  than  ever  before. 
As  fundamental  principles  that  make  for  greater  certainty 
of  results  are  being  established  one  by  one,  it  behooves 
the  poultryman  to  keep  in  touch  with  the  progress  of 
the  times  and  to  avail  himself  of  the  results  of  the  ex- 
perience of  others. 

At  Vineland  I  noticed  that  all  the  poultry  houses 
admitted  sufficient  sunlight  and  a  plentiful  supply  of  fresh 
air.  The  value  of  these  two  free  gifts  of  nature  has  been 
established  and  is  thoroughly  appreciated  by  successful 
poultry  raisers.  The  realization  that  fresh  air  and  sun- 
shine are  necessary  to  the  health  of  fowls  has  had  much 
to  do  with  the  change  from  the  days  of  tight  houses, 
when  the  Leghorn  race  of  fowls  was  looked  upon  as  a 
tender  breed,  to  the  present  time  when  the  Leghorn  is 
considered  to  be  a  hardy  bird. 

Aside  from  the  fresh  air  fronts,  the  poultry  houses  at 
Vineland  are  built  either  according  to  the  preconceived 
ideas  of  the  owner  or  after  the  pattern  of  poultry  houses 

115 


116 


THE  LEGHORNS 


that  are  in  operation  on  successful  and  well-known  plants. 
There  are  a  great  many  long  laying  houses,  most  of  them 
being  divided  into  pens.  In  some  cases  these  pens  are 
small;  but  the  majority  of  them  hold  100  birds  each.  In 
houses  that  are  wide  as  well  as  long,  some  of  the  pens 
hold  four  and  five  hundred  birds  each.  One  of  the  large 
houses  measured  100  feet  in  length  and  36  feet  wide.  This 
was  divided  into  three  pens  each  33  by  36  feet. 

On  some  plants  colony  houses  are  used,  the  Tolman 
house  being  the  favorite.  Because  of  the  heavy  winds 
from  the  sea,  a  small  and  high  colony  house  cannot  stand 
long  before  being  blown  over.  The  long  laying  houses 
are  seldom  less  than  15  or  16  feet  deep  and  have  canvas 
fronts,  in  order  that  the  birds  may  be  protected  from  the 
winds.  The  Tolman  houses,  wide  open  in  front,  are  often 
elongated  for  the  same  reason  and  so  little  snow  falls 
in  the  winter  that  the  roof  flattened  with  the  added  depth 
easily  bears  up  under  the  light  weight. 

On  page  115  we  show  a  long  laying  house  on  the 
plant  of  E.  R.  Hutchinson,  Vineland.     It  is  15  by  100  feet 


A  VINELAND,   NEW- 


FLOCK   OF   WHITE   LEGH 

poultry  pi 


)f  Paul 


A  view  of  a  flock  of  White  Leghorns  on  the  2  2-3 
Van    Deusen,    Vineland,    N.    J.      In    1910    Mr.    Van    Deusen's    gross    receipts    were 
$3,733.02  from  his  poultry  and  grarden  and  his  feed  hills  totaled  $1,283.22,  leaving 
the   balance   as    the   income   on    his   investment   and   as   recompense   for   his    ye      '" 
labor.     For  the  type  of  Leghorn  grown  at  Vineland  see  cut  page  117. 


in  size  and  is  divided  into  five  pens,  IS  by  20  feet,  each 
holding  100  birds.  Mr.  Hutchinson  was  the  first  to  use 
the  hood-roof  which  projects  over  the  front  of  the  house, 
but  recently  several  houses  like  it  have  been  built.  It  is 
essential  if  the  roofs  of  the  buildings  are  covered 
with  roofing  paper  that  the  best  quality  be  used,  as  the 
winds  from  the  south  coast  soon  tear  oflf  cheap  paper. 

Dry  Mash  is  Hopper  Fed  to  the  Layers 

The  methods  of  feeding  at  Vineland  do  not  vary  as 
much  as  the  contents  of  the  feeds  which  vary  with  the 
individual.  In  every  pen  on  every  farm  you  will  find 
dry  mash.  It  may  be  fed  in  a  Boston  hopper,  or  in  a 
home-made  wooden  hopper  or  in  an  open  wooden  box, 
but  it  is  there  before  the  layers  constantly  and  they  have 
free  access  to  it.  Vineland  poultrymen  will  tell  you  that 
this  hopper  fed  dry  mash  is  so  vitally  important  to  suc- 
cess that  it  may  be  laid  down  as  the  first  principle  of  feed- 
ing for  egg  production. 

J.  W.  Scull,  one  of  the  pioneer  White  Leghorn  egg 
farmers  of  the  Vineland  Tract,  generously  gave  me  his 
mash  formula,  which  is  as  follows:  One  portion  each  of 
bran,  cornmeal,  rolled  oats,  white  middlings  and  beef 
scrap,  one-half  portion  each  of  charcoal  and  grit.    This  is 


thoroughly  mixed  and  fed  dry  by  being  placed  in  hoppers, 
which  are  accessible  to  the  birds  at  all  times.  At  night 
Mr.  Scull  feeds  cracked  corn  and  oats  in  the  proportion 
of  two  parts  of  the  former  to  one  of  the  latter.  These 
grains  are  mixed  and  fed  in  the  litter,  allowing  one  quart 
to  every  twenty  hens.  By  far  the  majority  of  poultry- 
men  on  the  Vineland  Tract  feed  v/heat  at  night.  Mr. 
Scull  does  not,  however,  as  he  aims  to  feed  the  wheat 
in  his  dry  mash  in  the  form  of  white  or  flour  middlings. 
The  white  middlings,  he  said,  cost  him  $1.80  per  100 
pounds.  As  it  is  not  unusual  on  the  Vineland  Tract, 
Mr.  Scull  does  not  feed  his  birds  any  breakfast,  so  it 
will  be  seen  that  he  feeds  his  birds  but  once  a  day,  which 
is  about  4  P.  M.  when  the  grain  is  scattered  in  the  litter. 
Of  course  the  birds  have  access  to  the  dry  mash  at  all 
times. 

Vineland    poultrymen    aim    to    minimize    labor.      This 
economy   of  labor   does   not  arise   from   an   indifferent   or 
lazy   spirit.      They   are   economical   at   every   turn — in   the 
construction   of  their  poultry   buildings   and   in  their  feed 
as  well  as  in  their  labor.     A  poultry- 
man   should   not  be  too     busy.       He 
needs  time  to  watch  his  birds,  to  con- 
sider,  to   plan   and   he   should  not   be 
carrying   food   and   water  all   through 
the  day. 

Past  and  Present  Vineland 

As  I  stood  in  Mr.  Scull's  yard,  at 
the  outskirt  of  the  city,  I  could  see 
two  other  poultry  plants  across  the 
commons,  another  was  on  my  right, 
and  I  said  to  Mr.  Scull.  "How  many 
Wliite  Leghorns  are  there  within  a 
radius  of  a  mile  from  your  home?" 
.\fter  carefully  enumerating  the 
flocks  of  his  neighbors  he  replied,  "I 
can  safely  say  there  aie  15,000.  Mr. 
Scull  said  further  that  when  he  settled 
in  Vineland  ten  years  ago  there  were 
but  two  flocks  of  White  Leghorns  on 
the  Tract.  Five  years  ago  the  birds 
numbered  7,000  to  9,000.  Vineland, 
as  a  great  White  Leghorn  community,  is  of  recent 
growth.  Its  rapid  development  has  been  made  possible 
by  its  100-mile  distance  from  the  New  York  market  and  its 
sandy  soil  and  mild  climate.  While  it  is  true  that  these 
three  factors,  so  necessary  to  successful  egg  farming, 
existed,  nevertheless  the  development  of  the  Vineland 
Tract  as  a  Leghorn  country  should  be  attributed  to  the 
real  estate  operators.  A  real  estate  man  in  Vineland  told 
me  that  his  firm  is  spending  $50  a  week  advertising  Vine- 
land  and  that  it  has  been  doing  so  for  several  years.  The 
Tract  is  advertised  as  a  great  poultry,  fruit  and  garden 
truck  country  and  I  was  told  that  lately  nine  out  of 
every  ten  people  who  buy  a  place  in  the  district  raise 
White  Leghorns   for  egg  production. 

Those  who  are  already  in  Vineland  have  a  remu- 
nerative market  for  stock  males,  for  yearling  hens  for 
breeding  purposes,  for  ten-week  old  pullets,  for  eggs  for 
hatching  and  for  baby  chicks.  The  new  comers  buy  them 
and  their  sale  adds  to  the  "commercial  income"  and  gives 
the  owners  a  handsome  profit,  but  those  who  are  going 
into  the  district  should  figure  their  profits  as  the  differ- 
ence between  the  cost  of  production  and  the  selling  price 
at  the  New  York  market.  I  am  especially  interested  in 
those   beginners   who,   perhaps    leaving   the   city   and   the 


THE   LEGHORNS 


117 


office,  seek  the  profits  of  egg  farming  and  the  quiet  and 
freedom  of  the  country.  The  future  greatness  of  the 
Vineland  Tract  depends  upon  their  individual  success. 

Market  Conditions  for  New   Comers 

Many  of  the  already  established  egg  farms  on  the 
Tract  have  a  select  market  to  which  they  have  catered 
for  several  years  and  being  individually  known  they  se- 
cure the  highest  New  York  quotations  and  oftentimes 
two  cents  per  dozen  over  the  New  York  price.  In  turn 
they  sell  their  yearling  hens  after  they  have  passed  the 
pullet  year  as  "breeding  stock"  at  $1.25  per  head.  They 
have  other  sources  of  income  from  their  poultry,  such  as 
eggs  for  hatching,  baby  chicks,  etc.,  and  are  making  about 
all  .the  money  possible  out  of  their  products.  But  the 
new  comer,  what  of  him? 

If.  as  a  poultryman,  I  anticipated  embarking  in  egg 
'arming  down  at  Vineland  and  I  should  go  there  to  look 
the  ground  over,  I  would  not  be  particularly  interested 
in  the  types  of  houses  I  found,  nor  would  I  inquire  at 
length  into  the  feeds  and  methods  of  feeding  employed 
there,  for  I  have  my  own  opinions  on  those  subjects,  but 
I  would  inquire  into  the  market  for 
my  products.  I  would  realize  that 
after  I  had  produced  the  eggs  I  would 
have  to  sell  them  and  every  time  I 
increased  the  selling  price  one  cent  it 
would  be  a  whole  cent  of  profit  to 
put  into  my  pocket.  If  upon  inquiry 
at  Vineland  I  should  be  told  that 
there  are  markets  in  New  York  to 
which  I  could  cater  individually,  it 
would  not  appeal  to  me  particularly, 
for  I  could  go  to  Lakewood  or  some 
place  else  and  still  cater  to  those 
markets,  but  if  I  should  say  at  Vine- 
land,  "My  success  depends  upon  the 
markets,"  and  I  should  be  told  "The 
Vineland  Poultry  Association  has  an 
outlet  for  you,"  that  would  mean  a 
great  deal  to  me  and  I  would  inquire 
into  that  outlet  to  learn  how  it  is 
secured  and  the  prices  obtained  for 
the  producers. 

Small  individual  producers  are 
given  little  consideration.  They  can- 
not make  the  money  that  a  big  pro- 
ducer can.  If  the  buyer  has  to  hunt 
up  three  or  four  producers  to  secure 
enough  for  a  shipment,  he  will  not 
pay  as  big  a  price  as  though  he  could 
have  been  saved  the  trouble  by  buy- 
ing in  one  lot.  Note  the  small  stores 
in  large  cities.  Not  much  buying 
is  done  in  them,  for  the  people 
seek  the  large  market  places.  Though 
a  White  Leghorn  farm  at  Vineland  may  carry  700  to  1,000 
layers,  its  shipment  of  eggs  when  it  reaches  New  York  is 
as  a  handful  of  sand  on  the  beach. 

Through  co-operative  marketing,  however,  the  Vine- 
land  output  of  eggs  is  a  factor  to  be  reckoned  with. 
Shipping  together  through  a  common  outlet,  the  Vine- 
land  producers  can  supply  IS  crates  of  strictly  fresh  eggs 
at  any  time  with  no  advance  notice.  The  Vineland  pro- 
duct goes  forward  with  a  "force"  because.it  is  numerically 
strong  and  it  is  an  eflficient  and  influential  force  because 
"Vineland  eggs"  stand  for  eggs  that  have  been  grided 
as  to  color  and  sorted  as  to  size  and,  most  of  all,  pro- 


'%\ 


birds 


Leg- 


TYriCAL  UTILITY  WHITE  LEGHORN 

A  White  Leehorn  pullet  which  we 
picked  from  a  flock  of  ut 
the  Vineland.  New  Jersey, 
horn  district.  This  pullet  shows  the 
good  size  characteristic  of  the  Vine- 
land  "egg  machines,"  also  the  long 
body  and  well  developed  posterior  sec- 
tion, which  gave  her  the  appearance  of 
a  hen.  Of  course  she  was  a  carefully 
selected  model.  At  their  last  show  the 
Vineland  Poultry  Association  intro- 
duced a  "utility  class"  and  premiums 
were  given  on  live  utility  poultry.  By 
experimenting  and  the  competitive 
comparison   of   the   birds   exhibited   the 

number    of    birds    of    that    type    which 
give    the    best    results    to    the    average 


duced  on  up-to-date,  clean  poultry  farms  and  were  laid 
by  thoroughbred  hens  that  have  been  fed  sound  grain  and 
last,  but  not  least,  these  eggs  are  marketed  while 
strictly  fresh. 

All  this  means  that  when  Vineland  eggs  are  quoted 
at  a  fair  premium  above  the  highest  New  York  quota- 
tions they  still  find  a  ready  sale,  for  buyers  know  the 
worth  of  the  Vineland  product.  Vineland  eggs  can  be 
printed  on  the  menu  cards  of  the  hotels  and  the  pro- 
prietors profit  thereby,  for  these  eggs  can  be  eaten  with 
a  relish  and  without  fear.  An  advertised  and  premium 
coiTimanding  output  of  this  kind  would  make  the  Vineland 
Tract  appeal  to  me  if  I  were  a  beginner  seeking  a  loca- 
tion. To  furnish  an  outlet  of  this  kind  is  what  the  Vine- 
land  Poultry  Association  is  working  for  today. 

Co-operative  Marketing  At  Vineland 

The  poultry  association  at  Vineland  is  composed  of 
some  200  members  and  it  is  incorporated.  As  an  associa- 
tion it  is  marketing  the  eggs  of  those  members  who  wish 
to  enter  the  co-operative  arrangement.  The  hard  work 
the  officers  are  doing  is  a  tribute  to  their  earnest  desire 
to  make  a  greater  and  more  suc- 
cessful   Vineland   Tract. 

It  ships  the  eggs  under  its  own 
name  and  positively  guarantees 
them,  thereby  establishing  a  reputa- 
tion for  the  Vineland  products, 
which  eventually  will  prove  to  be  an 
asset  to  the  whole  Vineland  com- 
munity. They  can  thereby  increase 
the  profit  on  eggs  produced  by  the 
Vineland  poultrymen.  Through  the 
intrinsic  value  of  their  eggs  the  asso- 
ciation is  making  the  name  "Vine- 
land"  synonymous  with  freshness, 
cleanliness  and  purity.  I  use  these 
three  woids  advisedly.  An  egg  can 
be  fresh,  its  shell  clean  and  if  laid  by 
a  healthy  hen  that  has  been  fed 
sweet  grain,  it  is  pure.  Already 
there  is  one  commission  man  in  New 
York  who,  I  was  told,  handles  some 
of  the  output  of  the  Vineland  Asso- 
ciation and  does  not  charge  a  com- 
mission  for  doing  so. 

The  eggs  which  the  association 
ships  are  brought  to  the  association's 
egg  exchange  which  is  located  on 
East  Avenue,  Vineland.  These  eggs 
are  brought  in  on  Mondays  and 
Thursdays.  At  the  exchange  they 
are  candled  for  blood  spots,  etc.,  by 
a  candler  in  the  regular  employ  of 
the  association.  He  then  sorts  the 
eggs  as  to  size  and  they  go  for- 
ward as  "No.  1  White  Hennery"  and  "No.  2  White 
Hennery."  They  are  graded  as  to  color,  the  white, 
cream  and  brown  shelled  ones  being  shipped  under  their 
respective  classification.  All  this  is  done  to  establish  a 
reputation  for  Vineland  Poultry  Association  eggs,  for  a 
known  standard  of  quality  is  essential  to  obtain  higher 
than  the  highest  New  York  market  quotations.  It  is 
estimated  that  when  the  maximum  rapacity  of  the  egg  ex- 
change is  employed,  the  cost  of  this  work  is  one-half  cent 
per  dozen.  It  seems  to  me  that  the  time  that  it  saves 
the  poultryman  which  he  can  devote  to  other  work,  is 
alone  worth  this  cost. 


118 


THE   LEGHORNS 


The  eggs  are  shipped  under  the  seal  of  the  Vineland 
Poultry  Association  with  the  contents  of  each  case  plainly 
marked  on  the  label.  When  the  case  is  opened  the  label 
is  broken.  The  eggs  go  by  freight,  leaving  Vineland  at 
4:45  P.  M.  and  reaching  New  York  in  time  for  the  2  A.  M. 
market  the  next  morning.  The  express  does  not  give 
better  service  and  the  express  rate  on  a  case  holding  30 
dozen  is  44  cents,  which,  however,  includes  free  delivery 
at  destination.  The  freight  rate  is  14  cents  and  the 
delivery  in  New  York  is  10  cents.  The  cases  are  not  re- 
turned and  they  cost  from  12  cents  to  IS  cents  each. 

In  1910  when  the  co-operative  plan  was  inaugurated, 
the  association  collected  the  eggs  by  wagon.  Including 
the  cost  of  the  driver,  the  maintenance  of  the  exchange 
where  the  candling  was  done,  the  crates  and  packing, 
the  service  was  estimated  to  cost  the  producers  3  cents 
per  dozen  for  the  eggs  they  shipped.  After  several  months 
of  operation,  however,  the  cost  was  found  to  be  less  than 
that,  or  $.0278  per  dozen.  Starting  in  the  middle  of  Jan- 
uary, 1909,  and  continuing  until  the  middle  of  May,  1909, 
when  the  wagon  was  abandoned  and  the  eggs  were  de- 
livered to  the  exchange  by  the  poultrymen  themselves, 
the  total  gross  receipts  of  the  association  were  $12,523.14- 
The  average  price  per  dozen  received  was  $.2698.  I 
thoroughly  believe  that  the  co-operative  marketing  of 
the  well-produced,  carefully  graded  and  sorted  product 
will  increase  the  income  on  it. 

The  best  markets  in  America  are  near  Vineland.  New 
York  is  115  miles  away;  Philadelphia  34  miles  and  the 
Jersey  coast  resorts,  including  Atlantic  City,  are  on  the 
right  hand.  The  summer  hotels  along  the  coast  should 
mean  pretty  nearly  winter  prices  throughout  the  summer 
months  when  the  cost  of  producing  eggs  is  the  least  of 
all  the  year.  The  success  of  the  beginner  at  Vineland,  as 
elsewhere  is  ultimately  dependent  on  the  outlet  which 
he  can  secure  for  his  products,  and  at  Vineland  through 
combined  marketing,  the  association  can  be  inquiring  into 
these  great  egg  markets,  while  the  poultryman  devotes 
himself  to  securing  heavier  egg  production. 

When  the  Layers  Pass  Their  Prime 

In  addition  to  eggs,  there  are  two  other  products  that 
an  egg  farm  has  to  market— hens  and  cockerels.  When 
the  birds  have  passed  the  accepted  period  of  prolific  lay- 
ing, they  are  sold.  Trapnests  are  not  employed  on  utility 
plants  and  no  doubt  oftentimes  a  hen  is  marketed  that 
would  be  good 
for  some  time  to 
come  as  a  layer. 
I  know  of  one  in- 
stance of  a  hen 
that  was  said  to 
have  laid  1,002 
eggs  in  7  years. 
If  she  had  been 
sent  to  market 
the  summer  fol- 
lowing her  sec- 
ond or  even  third 
birthday,  which 
are  the  usual  kill- 
ing times,  the 
owner  would 
have  been  the 
loser,  but  when 
hens  are  flocked 
together  in  great 
numbers,      they 


SHELTERED   WATER   PAN. 


pan  for  cleanbing.  It  can  be  filled,  if 
desired,  with  a  watering  can  without 
disturbing  the  top. 


SHELTEREEi  \^■ATER  PAN. 
Fig.  1.— A  water  pan  with  a  shelter 
for  the  use  of  the  growing  pullets  on 
the  range  durine  the  summer.  It  adds 
greatly  to  the  comfort  and  well  being 
of  the  fowls  to  have  clean,  cool  water 
to  drink.  A  good  device  In  use  on 
some  of  the  poultry  plants  in  the 
Vineland,    N.   J.,    Leghorn   district. 


are  not  consid- 
ered individually. 
They  are  "egg 
machines"  hatch- 
ed in  incubators, 
reared  in  brood- 
ers, put  in  laying 
houses  in  the  fall 
and  fed  for  heavy 
egg  production. 
When,  generally 
considered,  their 
period  of  useful- 
ness is  over,  their 
carcasses  are 
marketed  and 
younger  birds 
take  their  places 
in  the  laying 
houses.  The  hens 
are  usually  mar- 
keted in  August 
just  after  the 
laying     stretch 

that  continues  through  the  winter  and  spring  and  just  be- 
fore they  go  into  the  moult.  They  net  the  poultryman 
from  13  to  14  cents  a  pound. 

The  production  of  pullets  and  cockerels  on  the  Vine- 
land  Tract  is  about  even.  Almost  all  the  pullets  are  saved 
and  almost  all  the  cockerels  are  marketed.  They  are 
grown  into  broilers  as  quickly  as  possible.  By  August  the 
price  drops  to  18  cents  a  pound  and  cockerels  then  weigh 
from  2^  to  3  pounds.  Two  pound  White  Leghorn  broil- 
ers earlier  in  the  season  bring  about  30  cents  a  pound. 
Squab  broilers  are  the  most  profitable,  for  the  cockerels 
are  then  sold  when  eight  to  ten  weeks  old  and  early  in 
the  season  bring  from  50  cents  to  60  cents  a  pound.  If 
they  are  plump  and  properly  dressed  and  their  skin  is 
deep  yellow  a  premium  of  10  cents  is  often  paid  on 
each  bird. 

Twenty-four  years  ago,  with  the  advent  of  incubators 
and  brooders,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  P.  Arnold  went  into  the 
broiler  business  at  Vineland.  Of  late  years  they  have 
kept  White  Leghorns  for  eggs,  but  because  of  their  long 
experience  in  producing  prime  broilers,  I  give  their  feed 
ration  for  fattening  the  Leghorn  cockerels  into  plump 
broilers.  Five  pounds  of  bran,  20  of  cornmeal,  10  of  beef 
scrap,  5  of  oilmeal,  5  of  cotton  seed  meal,  5  of  alfalfa, 
21/2  of  charcoal,  2  of  grit  and  2  of  oyster  shell  and  a  hand- 
ful of  salt.  This  is  mixed  with  a  shovel  and  fed  dry  in 
troughs  and  it  is  kept  before  the  cockerels  all  the  time. 
At  night  the  birds  are  fed  all  the  cracked  corn  they  will 
eat.  It  takes  two  weeks  to  fatten  the  cockerels,  but  "if 
they  do  not  fatten  in  that  time,  let  them  run  again.  It 
is  too  rich  a  food  to  feed  longer  than  two  weeks,"  said 
Mr.  Arnold. 

The  cockerels  on  the  Vineland  Tract  are  not  hatched 
at  a  time  when  they  will  make  the  highest  priced  broilers. 
They  are  hatched  with  the  pullets  at  a  time  when  it  is 
best  to  hatch  pullets  intended  for  work  in  the  laying 
houses  the  following  fall  and  winter.  Several  Vineland 
poultrymen  told  me  that  March  pullets  are  too  early 
hatched  for  their  climate.  March  hatched  pullets  lay  their 
first  clutch  of  eggs  the  following  September,  starting 
oftentimes  in  August.  Then  in  October  they  start  in  for  a 
six  weeks'  "secondary"  moult.  April  pullets  are  preferred 
and  in  the  average  season  they  go  through  without  moult- 
ing.    It  seems  to  be  a  common  opinion  that  they  should 


THE   LEGHORNS 


119 


not  start  to  lay  much  before  they  are  six  months  old, 
for  if  they  are  force-fed  for  early  egg  production  and  lay 
at  S  months,  they  likewise  will  go  into  a  secondary  moult. 
While  in  Vineland  I  had  the  pleasure  of  attending  a 
meeting  of  the  Vineland  Poultry  Association.  At  that 
meeting  the  cost  of  producing  the  pullets  was  discussed 
and  it  seemed  to  be  the  general  opinion  that  the  sale  of 
cockerels  would  about  half  pay  for  carrying  the  pullets 
to  laying  age.  After  starting  to  lay  the  cost  of  feed  was 
estimated  at  from  10  to  12  cents  per  bird  per  month. 
The  average  egg  yield  of  the  flocks  was  variously  esti- 
mated at  from  120  eggs  to  150  eggs 
per  bird  per  year. 

A  Successful  Vineland  Plant 

There  are  on  the  Vineland  tract  a 
number  of  really  successful  White 
Leghorn  egg  farms.  One  that  inter- 
ested me  especially  was  that  of  Paul 
Van  Deusen,  who  lives  at  the  edge 
of  the  city.  He  has  gas  for  the  hov- 
ers in  his  brooder  house  and  running 
water  on  h's  plant.  He  has  just 
2  2-3  acres  of  ground.  The  poultry 
buildings  and  yards  cover  lyi  acres. 
If  it  were  not  that  the  soil  is  very 
sandy  and  birds  can  be  kept  on  the 
same  ground  year  after  year,  I  would 
say  that  Mr.  Van  Deusen  had  too 
small  a  plant.  Last  year  he  kept 
525  pullets  and  250  hens.  Mr.  Van 
Deusen  said  that  the  pullets  averaged 
165  eggs  each  during  the  year.  The 
best  ten  months  of  the  year  the  hens 
averaged  USyi  eggs  each.  This  was 
from  November,  1909,  to  September, 
1910.  Mrs.  Van  Deusen,  who  kept 
the  books,  gave  me  the  following 
figures,  which  cover  the  year: 

Total  receipts    $3,733.02 

Feed,  straw,  grit,  etc 1,283.22 

The  difference  is  in  the  income  for  the  year's  work. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Van  Deusen  do  all  the  work  themselves. 
In  the  springtime,  however,  when  Mrs.  Van  Deusen  is 
out  with  the  little  chicks,  she  hires  a  neighbor  to  come 
and  help  in  the  house,  and  Mr.  Van  Deusen  hires  a  man 
to  whitewash  for  him  each  year,  also  a  farmer  to  plow 
his  garden. 

Mr.  Van  Deusen  went  to  Vineland  nine  years  ago 
and  rented  a  40-acre  farm.  He  moved  to  his  city  plot  five 
years  ago.  His  income  is  not  wholly  from  his  commercial 
poultry  and  eggs,  as  he  has  quite  a  trade  among  the  new 
comers  to  the  Vineland  Tract  who  wish  to  "stock  up." 
I  mention  him  in  this  connection,  however,  for  the  rea- 
son that  he  went  to  Vineland  willing  to  farm  it  and  work 
hard,  and  he  drifted  into  the  poultry  business  because  the 
greatest  profit  was  to  be  derived  from  it.  As  a  poultry- 
man  he  has  worked  hard.  Many,  I  fear,  seek  the  poultry 
business  underestimating  the  amount  of  work  to  be  done 
and  the  importance  of  it. 

Figs.  1  and  2  shown  on  page  118  are  reproduc- 
tions of  photos  taken  on  Mr.  Van  Deusen's  plant.     They 


illustrate  a  watering  pan  and  shade  cover  for  the  use  of 
the  growing  chickens  on  range  in  the  summer  time.  The 
pan  is  of  galvanized  iron  4  inches  deep  and  16  inches 
square  and  it  holds  16  quarts.  Mr.  Van  Deusen  said  that 
there  was  sufficient  water  in  it  to  last  100  growing  birds 
for  one  day. 

I  was  interested  in  a  home-made  brooder  on  the  plant 
of  J.  W.  Scull.  Brooders  resembling  this  one  in  con- 
struction are  in  operation  on  several  plants  in  the  Vine- 
land  Tract.  The  top  is  of  burlap  tacked  to  a  wooden 
frame.     A  2-inch  black  iron  pipe  is  used  and  the   fumes 


City  Market. 


of  the  lamp  rise  and  pass  out  through  this  pipe,  which 
becomes  warm  and  the  heat  radiates  from  it  into  the 
brooder.  Directly  over  the  lamp  blaze  is  an  elbow  in  the 
pipe,  for  the  lamp  sets  on  the  outside  of  the  brooder 
box  instead  of  underneath  it,  as  is  the  case  with  other 
similar  brooders  on  the  Tract.  The  heat  from  the  lamp 
rises  against  the  elbow  and  warms  it  very  much.  Over 
the  elbow  is  a  stove-pipe  sleeve.  The  cold  air  passes  in 
at  the  bottom  of  this  sleeve  and  being  heated  by  the 
warm  iron  elbow,  rises  into  the  hover,  thus  in  addition 
to  the  radiation  of  the  heat  from  the  iron  pipe,  there  is  a 
continual  supply  of  fresh,  warm  air  entering  the  hover. 
Judging  by  the  chickens  I  saw  in  these  brooders,  I  should 
pronounce  it  a  good  one. 

When  I  visited  Mr.  Scull  some  of  his  brooders  had 
not  been  cleaned  for  three  weeks,  but  his  chickens  were 
good.  To  the  unreflective  who  visit  his  plant  or  some 
of  the  other  Vineland  plants,  the  methods  employed 
may  appear  as  "crude,"  but  since  they  produce  satis- 
factory results  it  seems  to  me  they  should  be  spoken 
of  as  being  good.  Certainly  they  are  well  worth  the  time 
I  spent  in  inquiring  into  them. 


E^g  Farming  in  California 


Petalams  Conditions    Favorable  for    Successful    Poultry  Keeping.     Methods  of   Housing,  Feeding. 
Incubating  and  Brooding  on  Small  and  Large  Egg  Farms. 


James  Dryden 

Professor  of  Poultry  Husbandry.  Oregon  Agricultural  College  and  Experiment  Stat 


n.  Corvallis,  Oregon. 


POULTRY-KEEPING  is  not  a  specialized  industry 
in  this  country  or  in  any  other  country.  The 
great  bulk  of  poultry  products  come  from  farms 
where  a  system  of  mixed  husbandry  prevails.  The  poul- 
try district  of  Petaluma,  California,  offers,  however,  an 
exception  to  this  rule.  It  is  a  district  that  stands  alone. 
There  are  special  poultry  farms  in  other  districts,  but 
there  is  no  district  in  this  country  or  in  any  other  country 
so  extensively  and  exclusively  devoted  to  poultry-keeping 
as  Petaluma. 

During  the  past  year  the  poultry  farms  of  that  dis- 
trict produced  some  80,000,000  eggs,  and  eggs  and  poul- 
try shipped  from  Petaluma  had  a  value  of  some  $2,500,000. 
The  town  of  Petaluma  has  a  population  of  about  8,000 
people  and  as  many  more  within  a  radius  of  five  miles. 
These  people  are  almost  wholly  dependent  upon  the 
poultry  farms. 

It  will  enable  us  to  grasp  these  figures  better  if  we 
do  a  little  figuring.  If  the  year's  product  of  eggs  were 
loaded  on  to  wagons,  a  ton  on  each,  it  would  make  a  train 
of  wagons  about  twenty  miles  long.  If  the  eggs  were 
placed  on  the  ground  in  a  row,  end  to  end,  they  would 
reach  from  Petaluma  to  Chicago. 

Petaluma,  therefore,  becomes  an  interesting  field  of 
study  in  seeking  an  answer  to  the  question,  shall  we 
make  poultry-keeping  a  specialized  business?  During  the 
past  six  years  I  have  made  three  visits  to  the  fariis  of 
Petaluma,  the  last  being  made  in  February,   1910. 

Examples  of  Profit-Making 

I  think  I  discovered  there  evidence  that  shows  that 
special  poultry  farming  is  profitable  at  Petaluma.  That 
does  not  imply,  of  course,  that  it  is  always  profitable  or 
that  it  cannot  be  made  profitable  in  any  other  section  of 
the  country.  If  it  cannot  be  made  to  pay  at  Petaluma  it 
is  my  opinion  that  it  cannot  be  made  to  pay  anywhere  else. 
Let  us  discuss  this  point  a  little. 

It  is  easier  to  find  evidence  of  no  profit  than  of  profit. 
You  can  see  the  evidence  by  looking  over  the  fence  with- 
out looking  over  the  ledger  account.  One  does  not  have 
to  investigate  far  to  find  evidence  of  failure  at  Petaluma. 
Failures  are  due  to  one  cause  and  another.  I  will  men- 
tion only  one  cause.  The  fame  of  Petaluma  has  gone 
abroad  as  a  great  poultry  district.  Undoubtedly  ex- 
aggerated statements  of  the  money  to  be  made  there  have 
been  published.  At  any  rate,  great  numbers  of  people 
come  to  Petaluma  from  different  sections  of  the  country 
to  engage  in  poultry  farming.  The  price  of  land  shows 
that  there  is  a  great  demand  for  poultry  farms.  As  much 
as  $500  an  acre  is  paid  for  land  near  town  for  poultry 
farming.  Ten  miles  from  town  as  much  as  $100  an  acre 
is  paid  for  "chickens  only."  This  shows  the  demand  for 
land.  A  great  many  of  those  who  start  in  the  business 
there  know  little  or  nothing  about  it,  and,  of  course,  many 
of  them  fail.  There  are  many  such  cases.  It  would  be 
safe  to  say  that  there  are  more  failures  than  successes, 
but  if  we  can  find  profitable  farms,  even  though  they  may 
be  few,  it  will  show  that  money  may  be  made  in  the 
business. 


I  heard  of  a  great  many  who  were  making  money.  It 
was  sometimes  hard  to  get  the  evidence.  Not  many  poul- 
trymen  keep  books  or  know  exactly  what  they  are  mak- 
ing. Some  few  do.  Here  are  a  few  cases  of  profitable 
farming: 

On  a  seven  acre  farm  near  town  the  food  bill  for  the 
year  was  $2,203.50,  and  the  eggs  sold  for  $4,455.61.  I 
looked  over  the  books  and  found  an  accurate  account  of 
the  amount  of  food  purchased  and  the  number  and  value 
of  eggs  sold  each  month.  I  quote  the  egg  sales  for  some 
of  the  months,  showing  the  best  month  and  the  poorest: 
December,  $495;  October,  $448;  January,  $250;  February, 
$220.  This  was  the  result  from  1,500  hens.  The  work  was 
all  done  by  one  man,  assisted  at  times  by  his  wife. 

On  a  farm  of  ten  acres  there  was  an  outlay  of  $2,300 
for  feed  for  hens  and  young  stock  and  receipts  of  $4,700. 
The  number  of  hens  was  1,800  in  this  case. 

On  a  farm  of  over  a  hundred  acres  with  6,000  hens 
there  was  a  profit  of  over  $1  a  hen.  The  food  was  all 
purchased  and  hauled  two  or  three  miles  from  a  railroad 
station.  Ten  cows  were  kept  on  the  place.  Two  men 
and  a  boy  did  all  the  work. 

These  are  well  authenticated  cases  and  will  serve  the 
purpose  of  showing  that  money  can  be  made.  There  are 
numerous  others,  probably  just  as  successful,  whose  rec- 
ords I  did  not  secure. 

Petaluma  Conditions 

The  conditions  are  very  favorable  for  successful  poul- 
try keeping.  I  know  of  no  place  where,  on  the  whole, 
the  conditions  are  more  favorable. 

First,  I  believe  the  climate  to  be  very  favorable.  There 
are  few  places  in  the  country  less  subject  to  extremes  of 
temperature  than  Petaluma.  This  is  due  to  the  influence 
of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  the  coast  being  about  fifty  miles 
away.  There  is  no  snow  and  very  little  frost.  There  is 
no  extremely  cold  weather.  On  the  other  hand  there  is 
no  extremely  warm  weather  in  summer.  The  rainfall  is 
moderate,  amounting  to  25  to  30  inches — I  have  not  the 
exact  figures.    On  the  whole,  the  climate  is  very  favorable. 

The  soil  conditions  may  also  be  classed  as  favorable. 
-^s  a  general  rule  the  soil  is  light  and  porous.  There  is 
good  natural  drainage,  the  country  being  somewhat  roll- 
ing and  in  places  hilly.     Some  of  the  land  is  somewhat 


THE   THK 


THE   LEGHORNS 


131 


gravelly,  and  the  fowls  find  all  the  grit  necessary  in  the 
fields  on  many  of  the  farms. 

Petaluma  Methods 

Another  point  that  has  a  good  deal  to  do  with  Peta- 
luma's  success  is  nearness  to  good  markets.  San  Fran- 
cisco, less  than  40  miles  from  Petaluma,  is  one  of  the 
best  markets  in  the  United  States  for  poultry  products. 
During  the  past  winter  Petaluma  poultrymen  received  as 
high  as  55  cents  a  dozen  for  eggs  wholesale,  and  20  cents, 
I  believe,  has  been  the  lowest  this  year. 

Among  unfavorable  conditions  that  may  be  mentioned 
is  the  relatively  high  price  of  feed.  Practically  all  the 
feed  has. to  be  shipped  in,  a  good  deal  of  the  wheat  com- 


STYLE   OF  HOUSE  ON  H.   A.   GEORGE'S  FARM,   SHOWING 

NESTING    ARRANGEMENT    LID    OPEN.    HOUSE    8 

FEET,    BT    12    FEET,    4    FOOT    WALL. 

ing  from  Oregon.     In  this  respect  Petaluma  is  rather  at 
a  disadvantage  compared  with  most  other  sections. 

On  the  whole,  however,  it  would  be  difficult  to  find 
any  other  section  of  the  United  States  where  the  condi- 
tions are  better  for  successful  poultry-keeping,  though 
they  may  not  be  ideal  at  Petaluma. 

But  climate,  soil  and  markets  do  not  make  the  poultry 
farm.  They  help  make  it.  Poultry  will  thrive  under  a 
great  variety  of  conditions.  It  is  not  very  often  necessary 
to  blame  the  climate  for  failure  to  make  profit  in  the 
business.  At  the  same  time,  market  and  climatic  con- 
ditions may  make  a  difference  between  profit  and  loss, 
though  failures  in  poultry-keeping  are  usually  due  to 
other  causes. 

As  to  the  Petaluma  methods,  I  will  discuss  them  in 
the  following  order:  First,  housing;  second,  feeding;  third, 
incubation  and  brooding. 

Housing 

The  colony  house  is  practically  the  only  house  in  use 
on  the  farms  at  Petaluma,  and  there  is  a  good  deal  of 
sameness  about  their  construction.  In  studying  the 
methods  of  housing,  one  of  the  first  questions  that  c:i' 
to  me  was,  where  did  these  Petaluma  poultrymen  i 
authorities  for  their  methods?  It  looked  to  me  as  though 
they  had  been  careful  to  read  every  poultry  book  and 
every  poultry  paper  on  the  subject  and  then  gone  and 
done  the  exact  opposite.  In  speaking  of  housing,  I  will 
speak  also  of  land  or  yarding  conditions. 

The  house  may  be  perfect  and  yet  the  outdoor  condi- 
tions may  be  such  as  to  bring  disaster.  I  think  I  could 
show,  if  I  had  time  and  space,  that  fowls  will  thrive  in  a 
great  variety  of  houses  if  the  outdoor  conditions  are 
right.     The   house   is   often   blamed   unjustly   for   failures. 

The  colony  house  and  the  colony  house  system  of 
yarding,  in  my  opinion,  has  had  as  much  to  do  with  the 
success  of  Petaluma  as  any  other  thing. 


The  prevailing  type  of  house,  on  the  small  farms,  as 
well  as  the  large,  is  a  house  built  of  a  size  that  may  be 
easily  moved  by  a  team  of  horses.  They  don't  vary  much 
in  size,  the  usual  size  being  about  7x12  ft.  or  8x12  ft.,  with 
a  gable  roof.  It  is  built  on  the  box  plan  of  construction,  the 
frame  consists  of  runners  to  which  cross  pieces  are  bolted 
at  the  ends,  the  plates,  and  four  rafters.  The  siding  is 
nailed  on  vertically,  nailed  to  the  runner  and  the  plate  at 
top.  These  boards  serve  to  support  the  sides  without 
studding.  In  some  cases  the  cracks  are  battened;  as  often 
they  are  not  battened.  On  one  of  the  most  successful 
farms  there  the  houses  are  not  battened  and  the  owner 
told  me  he  had  no  trouble  from  roup  from  this  cause. 
He  said,  however,  if  he  were  to  close  the  house  up  all 
around  and  leave  one  crack  for  the  wind  to  whistle 
through  he  would  expect  all  kinds  of  trouble  from  roup. 
Some  use  shingles  on  the  roof,  while  some  use  "shakes," 
which  are  much  cheaper.  In  some  cases  there  is  a  floor 
in  the  house,  while  in  others  there  is  none.  One  of  the 
best  farms  I  saw  had  floored  houses.  The  owner  said 
the  floors   facilitated  cleaning. 

This  house  is  made  to  accommodate  100  hens.  That 
means  about  one  square  foot  of  floor  space  per  hen. 
ere's  where  they  run  up  against  poultry  authorities. 
The  "authorities"  used  to  insist  on  about  10  square  feet 
per  fowl.  This  is  the  bare  fact,  however,  the  large  suc- 
cessful farmers  consider  one  square  foot  per  fowl  suf- 
ficient. Under  such  conditions,  of  course,  the  whole 
house  is  taken  up  with  roost  poles;  that  is,  the  whole 
space  is  used  for  roosting.  On  some  of  the  farms  the 
perches  are  run  through  the  house;  that  is,  holes  are  cut 
in  the  siding  at  each  end  and  the  poles  rest  in  these  holes; 
then  when  the  house  is  to  be  cleaned  out  the  poles  are 
pushed  out  and  the  whole  house  is  clear  for  the  man  to 
work  in.  I  was  informed  that  on  a  6,000-hen  farm  two 
men  could  clean  out  all  the  houses  in  a  day  and  a  half. 
This  work  was  done  by  scraping  the  droppings  from  the 
floor,  shoveling  them  into  a  sled,  scattering  lime  on  the 
floor  and  hauling  the  droppings  away. 


This  house  is  used  only  for  roosting;  another  house, 
usually  smaller,  is  used  for  laying. 

The  colony  system  is  this:  A  colony  of  fowls  on  the 
large  farms  usually  means  200  hens.  That  is,  two  hundred 
hens  run  together  on  free  range  at  a  considerable  dis- 
tance from  any  other  colony,  say  several  hundred  yards. 
They  have  so  much  range  that  the  grass  is  never  eaten  oflf 
the  fields.     Two  roosting  houses  and  a  laying  house  are 


THE   LEGHORNS 


placed  together,  the  center  one  being  the  laying  house. 
The  laying  house  sometimes  serves  the  double  purpose 
of  a  laying  and  feed  house.  One  end  of  the  house 
is  partitioned  ofif  for  a  feed  bin — a  self-feeding  bin  or 
hopper.  Several  sacks  of  whole  vi^heat  are  stored  in  this 
bin  and  by  opening  a  door  at  the  bottom  the  hens  are 
allowed  access  to  the  wheat,  the  practice  being  to  open 
this  bin  or  hopper  in  the  afternoon  for  the  fowls  to  eat 
at  will. 

The  houses  are  all  built  on  runners,  but  the  plan  of 
moving  them  does  not  seem  to  be  universal.  On  farms 
that  I  visited  three  years  previously  the  houses  had  not 
been  moved  in  the  interim.  In  practice,  the  colony  house 
is  not  always  moved.  On  some  of  the  farms  the  land  is 
somewhat  hilly  and  sheltered  places  are  selected  for  the 
houses,  and  they  are  usually  left  there  rather  than  move 
them  on  to  more  exposed  places.  It  looked,  however, 
on  some  farms,  as  though  the  houses  were  allowed  to  re- 
main without  moving  as  a  matter  of  neglect. 

While  the  house  I  have  described  is  the  typical  one  at 
Petaluma  and  is  used  on  small  ranches  as  well  as  large 
ones,  there  are  many  other  styles.  There  are  houses  of 
cement  and  houses  of  galvanized  iron;  there  are  cheap 
houses  and  expensive  houses;  there  are  open-front  houses; 
there  are  large  houses  as  well  as  small  ones;  stationary 
houses  as  well  as  colony  houses,  as  may  be  seen  by  the 
illustrations  herewith.  But  the  small  house  described  is 
used  on  the  great  majority  of  farms,  large  and  small,  and 
it   is   this   house  that   has   given   Petaluma  its   reputation. 

The  Free  Range  System 

On  the  larger  farms  the  fowls  have  unlimited  range 
of  grass  land  or  pastures.  They  have  so  much  range  that 
they  cannot  possibly  eat  the  grass  off.  Many  of  the  larger 
farmers  run  dairy  cattle  on  the  same  land  to  eat  down  the 
pasture.  The  cows,  however,  are  subsidiary  to  the  chick- 
ens. On  one  farm  of  some  200  acres  with  5,000  hens, 
some  40  Jersey  cows  were  kept,  some  of  them  from  the 
most  noted  herds  of  the  country.     The  owner,  however, 


FURNISHES    THE    HEAT.    THE    CHICKS  KEEP 
FROM  THE  STOVE. 

informed  me  that  the  chickens  had  paid  for  the  cows  and 
for  the  large  dairy  barn  on  the  place.  The  skim  milk 
from  the  cows  was  used  for  the  fowls. 

The  poultrymen  with  the  large  farms  are  undoubtedly 
handling  the  business  at  greater  profit  than  those  on 
limited  acreage  nearer  town.  It  may  not  seem  reasonable 
to  say  that  the  man  with  5,000  hens  on  a  farm  of  100 
acres,  or  even  200  acres,  can  get  better  results  with  the 
same  amount  of  labor  by  colonizing  his  hens  all  over  the 
farm,  than  the  man  with  20  acres  and  5,000  hens.  The 
saving  of  steps  by  building  houses  close  together  doesn't 
necessarily  lessen  the  labor  or  reduce  the  cost  of  produc- 
ing a  dozen  of  eggs.  It  is  a  question  largely  of  main- 
taining the  vigor  and  productive  qualities  of  the  fowls, 
and  where  the  acreage  is  so  limited  that  the  ground  is 
kept  bare  of  vegetation  the  year  around,  and  where  the 
ground  is  muddy  in  wet  weather  and  hard  and  warm  in 
dry  weather,  the  fowls  are  not  under  natural  conditions; 
the  conditions  are  more  favorable  for  loss  of  health  or 
vigor  in  the  fowls.  While  poultrymen  are  making  money 
on  small  farms,  it  is  uphill  work  compared  with  the 
large  farms. 

Feeding 

Some  of  the  methods  of  housing  may  shock  some  of 
our  eastern  poultry-keepers  and  poultry  authorities.  They 
are  likely  to  be  further  shocked  at  the  Petaluma  way  of 
feeding.  For  instance,  how  often  do  we  read  something 
like  this:  "Don't  give  the  hens  much  soft  food  in  the 
morning  or  they  will  'lazy  around'  all  day  and  get  fat 
and  never  lay.  If  soft  food  is  fed  at  all,  feed  just  as  much 
as  the  hens  will  clean  up  in  ten  minutes,  and  no  more." 
The  Petaluma  people  do  just  the  opposite.  They  feed  a 
soft  food  early  in  the  morning  and  they  give  them  enough 
of  it  to  last  them  till  noon.  The  hens  eat  far  more  soft 
food  than  whole  grain,  and  yet  they  produce  some  eggs. 
Now  there  are  some  poultrymen  who  do  not  feed  this 
way.  Some  feed  dry  food  altogether,  and  some  ring  in 
different  combinations,  but  in  this  article  I  am  writing  of 


THE  LEGHORNS 


123 


A  HOUSE  FOR  SROODY  HENS.  HENS 

ARE   DROPPED  IN  THROUGH 

THE   ROOF.   HOUSE   HAS 

SLAT   FLOOR. 


typical  poultry  farms,  of  the  average  poultry  farms  and 
the  average  poultry  farmer  of  Petaluma  reads  all  that  is 
said  about  feeding  hens  and  then  does  the  opposite.  He 
feeds  soft  mash  heavily.  Mr.  Hyatt,  one  of  the  success- 
ful poultrymen,  who  has  been  in  the  business  for  some 
ten  or  twelve  years,  said  that  he  fed  about  3^  pails  of 
soft  food  to  one  of  whole  grain.  The  method  is  to  let 
the  fowls  eat  as  much  soft  food  as  they  want  during  the 
forenoon  and  as  much  whole  wheat  as  they  want  in  the 
afternoon. 

While  that  method  is  pretty  generally  practiced,  there 
is  less  agreement  as  to  what  shall  constitute  the  mash. 
Wheat,  of  course,  is  the  base  of  all 
rations,  but  1  found  -lo  two  poultry- 
men  mixing  up  iho  same  kind  of 
mash.  One  mar.  fed  boiled  wheat 
and  horse  meat  mixed  with  shorts, 
another  fed  5  sacks  of  meal — wheat, 
corn,  etc.,  and  one  sack  beef  scraps, 
mixed  with  skim  milk.  Another  feeds 
this  way:  40  sacks  wheat,  40  sacks 
corn.  40  sacks  middlings,  40  sacks 
barley,  SO  sacks  bran,  7  sacks  char- 
•oal,  mixed  with  milk  and  meat  soup. 
He  feeds  200  lbs.  horse  meat  a  day 
which  is  boiled  and  the  soup  and 
meat  mixed  with  the  meals.  An- 
other uses  rolled  barley,  bran  and 
shorts,  ground  corn  and  beef  scraps, 
and  sometimes  uses  horse  meat  in- 
stead of  beef  scrap.  Another  uses  2  parts  good  shorts, 
1  part  middlings,  1  part  bran,  1  part  fresh  horse  meat 
or  cattle  meat  and  in  winter  adds  1  part  corn;  some- 
times a  little  pepper,  always  salt  and  charcoal;  mixed  with 
water. 

This  mash  is  fed  in  long  covered  troughs.  If  there 
are  cattle  in  the  same  field,  the  feeding  ground  is 
fenced  in. 

Early  in  the  afternoon  wheat  is  fed  as  much  as  they 
will  eat  before  going  to  roost  in  the  evening.  This  is 
usually  thrown  on  the  ground  or  fed  in  hoppers.  On  one 
large  farm  a  self-feeding  bin  is  opened  about  one  o'clock 
and  closed  at  night.  On  Mr.  Roerdan's  farm  a  boy  of 
fourteen  feeds  wheat  to  6,000  hens  in  about  half  an  hour. 
He  does  it  this  way:  At  1  o'clock  he  jumps  on  his  grey 
pony  and  rides  over  the  farm  of  120  acres  opening  up  the 
feed  bins.  I  caught  the  boy  with  the  camera  as  he  was 
making  the  rounds.  He  jumped  ofif  the  horse,  opened 
the  door,  and  jumped  on  again  about  as  quick  as  I  could 
snap  the  camera,  and  was  ofif  to  the  next  colony  on  the 
lope.  How  long  would  it  take  a  man  to  feed  6,000  hens, 
carrying  pails  of  wheat,  opening  doors  and  gates,  kicking 
the  wheat  under  the  litter,  in  a  long  continuous  house? 
The  other  way  of  feeding  of  6,000  hens  is  a  pleasant  diver- 
sion for  a  boy  with  a  pony.  Here  is  a  little  food  for 
thought  for  those  who  insist  on  keeping  the  chickens 
close  together  on  small  acreage  so  as  to  economize 
the  labor. 

Incubation  and  Brooding 

Petaluma's  poultry  industry  is  founded  on  artificial 
incubation  and  brooding.  Its  successes  will  be  measured 
largely  in  proportion  to  the  success  of  the  incubator  and 
brooder.  In  this  part  of  the  business  developments  have 
been  following  thick  and  fast  the  past  few  years.  To  keep 
up  with  the  procession  one  must  visit  Petaluma  about 
every  year. 


Hatching  the  Chicks 

Four  or  five  years  ago  each  farmer,  and  when  I  speak 
of  farmer  I  mean  poultryman,  for  every  farmer  there 
is  a  poultryman,  each  farmer  four  or  five  years 
ago,  hatched  and  raised  his  own  chickens  by  using 
incubators,  individual  brooders  ranging  in  size  from  150 
to  500  eggs.  Now  the  hatching  has  become  a  specialized 
business.  Men  make  a  special  business  of  hatching  chick- 
ens; they  do  nothing  else.  There  are  probably  a  dozen 
hatcheries  with  capacities  of  10,000  eggs  up  to  60,000  or 
more,  and  though  I  haven't  the  figures  I  have  no  doubt 
that  those  hatcheries  during  the  past  season,  hatched  con- 
siderably over  a  million  chicks. 
These  chicks  are  not  all  retained  in 
Petaluma.  Many  of  them  go  several 
hundred  miles  away  as  day-old 
chicks.  Many  of  the  poultry  farmers 
buy  their  chicks  from  the  hatcheries. 
Not  all  of  them,  however.  Some  of 
the  most  successful  farmers  were  in- 
cubating their  own  chicks,  but  the 
business  of  the  hatcheries  has  been 
growing  rapidly  the  past  two  or  three 
years  and  the  past  spring  it  was 
hard  for  the  hatcheries  to  fill  their 
orders. 

The  hatcher  works  on  a  basis  that 
will  give  him  a  certain  profit  for  his 
labor  whether  he  furnishes  the  eggs 
or  merely  does  the  hatching  of  the 
eggs.  Where  the  farmer  takes  his  eggs  to  the  hatchery 
the  hatcher  charges  him  from  3  to  4  cents  for  every  chick 
delivered,  the  price  depending  some  on  the  fertility  of  the 
eggs. 

When  the  hatcher  furnishes  the  eggs  as  well  as  the 
chicks,  he  charges  from  about  7  to  10  cents  a  chick,  de- 
pending on  the  price  of  eggs  at  the  time. 

Brooding  1,500  Chicks  in  a  Flock 

The  farmer  takes  the  chicks  from  the  incubator  home 
and  puts  them  in  brooders  already  prepared  for  them, 
but  during  the  past  season  large  numbers  of  the  chicks, 
instead  of  being  taken  home,  were  taken  to  another  man 
to  raise.  Here  is  another  special  business  that  has  sprung 
up,  that  of  raising  the  chickens.  This  has  been  brought 
about  by  a  new  system  of  raising  the  chicks,  and  I  want 
to  prepare  the  poultry  writers  for  another  shock.  Any- 
one who  has  read  poultry  gapers  at  all  has  read  some- 
thing like  this:  "Don't  put  more  than  50  or  75  chicks  to- 
gether in  a  brooder."  This  special  business  of  raising  the 
chickens  has  grown  up  around  the  possibility  of  keeping 
as  many  as  1,500  chickens  together  in  a  flock  with  a  brood- 
er stove  to  keep  them  warm. 

I  saw  1,500  chicks  taken  out  of  incubators,  put  in 
boxes  holding  100  each,  but  divided  into  partitions  hold- 
ing 25  each;  helped  an  old  man  of  72  years  old  load  them 
on  a  wagon;  rode  with  him  through  the  streets  and  two 
miles  out  in  the  country;  helped  him  put  them  in  a  little 
cheap  house  20x20  ft.  The  brooder  stove  had  been  lighted 
an  hour  before  and  the  house  was  warm  with  a  brooder 
temperature.  The  stove  was  in  the  center  of  the  room 
and  has  an  oil  burner,  the  fuel  being  engine  distillate,  fed 
from  a  10-gaIlon  tank  attached  to  the  outside  of  the 
house.  The  chicks  were  soon  scampering  around  the 
room,  keeping  a  certain  distance  from  the  stove,  how- 
ever. A  fence  made  of  1-inch  poultry  netting  12  inches 
high,  with  burlap  sewed  on  both  sides  of  it,  was  put  in  a 


124 


THE   LEGHORNS 


circle  around  the  stove  and  about  six  feet  from  it.  The 
purpose  of  this  fence  was  to  keep  the  chicks  from  getting 
back  into  the  corners  before  they  learned  where  the  heat 
was.  About  the  second  day  this  fence  is  taken  away  and 
the  chicks  given  the  whole  room  to  run  in. 

The  gentleman,  72  years  of  age,  Mr.  Carpenter  by 
name  was  raising  5,000  chicks  at  one  time  in  this  way,  and 
making  his  living  by  it.  At  three  months  of  age  the  pul- 
lets went  to  the  farmer  who  furnished  the  eggs  to  the 
hatchery.  This  is  the  second  year  Mr.  Carpenter  had 
been  doing  this  and  when  I  saw  him  he  was  well  pleased 
with  the  result.  Another  gentleman,  without  help,  was 
raising  8,000  in  this  way.  Others  were  following  the  same 
special  business.  Quite  a  number  of  the  farmers  were 
using  the  same  brooder  system. 

The  special  advantage  of  this  system  is  the  saving  of 
labor  it  makes  possible.  One  brooder  of  this  kind  will 
take  care  of  as  many  chicks  as  15  or  20  ordinary  individual 


brooders.  The  distillate  costs  9  cents  a  gallon,  and  the 
stove  will  use  from  6  to  9  gallons  a  day,  depending  on  the 
weather.  Some  think  1,500  is  crowding  the  brooder  a 
little  and  do  not  put  more  than  1,200  in  it.  The  stove 
is  kept  hot  enough  so  the  chicks  will  keep  back  two  or 
three  feet  from  it.  At  night  they  lie  in  a  circle  around 
the  stove  and  the  larger  the  circle  the  less  crowding  there 
is.  If  the  fire  goes  down  the  circle  contracts  and  there  is 
too  much  crowding.  During  the  day  they  run  all  over  the 
floor,  and  they  are  a  busy,  spectacular  lot.  There  is  no 
prettier  sight  in  chickendom.  They  have  no  lack  of  ex- 
ercise. They  get  it  running  foot-races  around  the  room. 
One  problem  is  to  feed  them  so  as  to  prevent  what  a 
cowboy  would  call  a  stampede  or  what  a  football  fan 
would  call  mass  playing  or  bucking  the  line.  If  a  bit  of 
meat  were  thrown  in  the  room  there  would  be  a  scramble 
rivaling  in  intensity  that  of  the  football  players  in  buck- 
ing the  line  for  a  touchdown. 


E^^  Farming  in  Greater  ISew  York 


Profitable  Results  Obtained    from  Intensive  Poultry  Raising    by  the  Pr 
in  the  City  of  Brooklyn,  New  York. 


ipal  of    a   Public   School 


Rudolph  P.  Ellis 


THREE  years'  experience  in  poultry  keeping  does 
not  entitle  me  to  speak  otherwise  than  as  a  novice; 
and  I  am  induced  to  set  forth  what  has  been  ac- 
complished on  our  plant  solely  because  I  believe  that  an 
account  of  our  methods  will  prove  interesting — and  I  trust 
of  some  aid — to  the  many  who,  this  year,  will  try  their 
hand  at  poultry  raising.  It  is  also  because  I  am  firmly 
convinced  that  there  are  money  and  pleasure  to  be  ob- 
tained from  poultry,  worked  as  a  side  line,  and  that  there 
are  very  many  who  could  add  considerably  to  their  in- 
come by  employing  their  leisure  in  well-directed  efiforts 
at  poultry  raising. 

My  interest  in  poultry  extends  back  many  years.  As 
a  boy  I  used  to  figure  out  profits  on  paper;  and  contrary 
to  the  usual  experience  of  those  who  try  to  realize  on 
their  "paper  profits,"  I  have  exceeded  even  my  boyish 
dreams.  I  will  frankly  admit,  at  the  start,  that  I  am  an 
enthusiast  about  the  hen — as  a  commercial  proposition. 
Who  would  not  be,  if  she  showed  a  profit  of  $3.74  in 
one's  novice  year,  and  does  better  each  succeeding  season? 

Where   to   Locate — Variety  to   Breed 

It  is  necessary  at  the  start  to  determine  which  line  is 
to  be  followed — the  fancy  or  the  commercial.  There  is 
a  great  deal  of  pleasure  and  honor,  and  a  good  income 
for  a  number,  to  be  obtained  in  the  "fancy,"  but  we  chose 
the  "commercial"  end  because  we  knew  there  were  a 
number  of  well  known  commercial  plants  that  were  pay- 
ing very  well  and  the  market  for  fresh  eggs  is  practically 
unlimited.  All  that  is  said  in  this  article,  therefore,  is  said 
from  the   commercial  standpoint. 

Once  your  aim  is  settled,  the  first  problem  that  con- 
fronts you  is  location.  Where  shall  you  start?  Start 
where  you  are.  Our  beginning  was  on  a  plot  sixty  feet 
by  fifty.  Anybody,  it  seems  to  me,  can  secure  that  much 
ground.  To  the  city  man,  espec'^^lly,  I  would  say:  Do 
not  make  the  mistake  of  rushing  i,  the  country  to  start 
the  poultry  business.  Try  it  in  a  city  suburb — where  you 
can  get  a  high  price  for  your  eggs,  whether  you  have  a 
dozen  or  a  case  to  sell. 


A  great  deal  has  been  written  about  the  merits  of  the 
various  breeds.  Personally,  I  do  not  care  for  the  poultry 
(meat)  end  of  the  business — #iere  is  too  much  competition 
with  the  cold  storage  product.  We  adopted  the  egg  end 
of  the  business  as  our  main  line,  because  of  the  high 
prices  that  can  be  obtained  for  a  fresh  egg  in  the  city. 
If  eggs  are  desired,  few  will  dispute  the  claim  that  the 
Single  Comb  White  Leghorn  is  the  bird  to  choose.  Her 
merits  are  briefly  summed  up  as  follows: 

1 — -She  is  smaller  and  costs  less  to  maintain  and 
less  to  house. 

2 — She  is  active  and  stands  confinement  well. 

3 — When  once  raised  she  will  stand  rougher  treat- 
ment than  birds  of  the  American  type. 

4 — She  does  not  need  the  care  in  feeding  just  the 
proper  amount  that  a  Plymouth  Rock  does  to  keep  in 
condition. 

5 — She  matures  six  to  eight  weeks  earlier  than  any 
of  the  American  class  of  fowl,  which  means  she  can  be 
hatched  just  so  much  later  in  the  spring — a  mighty  im- 
portant advantage  on  an  egg  plant.  To  secure  winter 
layers  of  the.  Rock  class,  one  must  hatch  them  in  February 
and  March,  when  fertility  and  weather  conditions  are  not 
at  their  best.  An  April  or  May  Leghorn  will  lay  by  No- 
vember. All  these  things  we  discovered  before  starting, 
so  we  chose  the  Leghorn. 

It  has  been  well  said  that  the  strain  counts  for  more 
than  the  breed.  All  Leghorns  are  not  good  layers.  Prize 
winning  strains  at  the  great  shows  are  not  necessarily 
good  egg  layers.  You  can  breed  five  points  on  a  bird's 
comb.  You  can  breed  shape  and  color.  You  can  also 
breed  perforrhance — the  egg  laying  habit.  Therefore  se- 
lect your  stock  from  a  proven  strain  of  layers.  It  is 
mighty  important  to  the  commercial  poultrymen  whether 
a  certain  amount  of  time  and  labor  and  money  will  pro- 
duce a  hundred  eggs  per  year  from  a  hen  or  whether  the 
same  investment  will  produce  one  hundred  fifty  eggs.  It 
is  not  claiming  too  much  to  say  there  is  that  difference  in 
the  performance  of  different  strains  under  the  same  con- 


THE   LEGHORNS 


ditions.  At  the  start  we  purchased  thoroughbred  Leg- 
horns of  proven  laying  qualities.  It  is  important  to  get 
thoroughbreds,  as  in  no  other  way  can  you  secure  birds 
uniformly  alike,  and  hence  susceptible  of  uniform  treat- 
ment. The  trouble  with  the  mongrel  flock  is  that  what 
suits  one  type  of  bird  does  not  quite  suit  another. 

How  We  Began 

There  are  three  ways  of  starting  your  flock.  The 
first  is  to  buy  matured  stock,  and  hatch  the  eggs  they 
lay;  the  second  is  to  buy  the  eggs  they  lay,  and  the  third 
is  to  buy  the   chicks   newly  hatched — the   so-called  "day- 


Fig.  1. — Aurora  Leghorn 
Farm's  portable  modified, 
Tolman  Fresh  Air  House. 
"Style  A,"  size  14x14.  Note 
muslin  screens.  The  house 
is  raised  off  the  ground, 
allowing  free  circulation 
of  air,  thus  preventing 
dampness. 


old  chicks."  Despite  all 
that  can  be  said  in  favor 
of  either  of  the  first  two 
methods,  the  fact  remains 
that  you  are  buying  possi- 
bilities. But  when  you 
buy  a  chick,  you  have 
something  to  start  with. 
So  we  bought  thorough- 
bred White  Leghorn 
chicks  at  approximately 
twelve  x:ents  each — buying 
during        three        months 

some  two  hundred  fifteen  in  all,  and  we  purchased  two 
standard  brooders.  Our  initial  outlay  did  not  exceed  sixty 
dollars  and  we  soon  had  the  beginnings  of  a  future  "plant" 
on  the  fifty  by  sixty  plot  in  the  rear  of  our  Brooklyn 
house. 

It  is  a  fatal  error  to  start  on  too  large  a  scale.  It  is 
also  a  fatal  error  to  start  with  so  few  chickens  that  they 
are  not  a  serious  proposition  worthy  of  your  care  and 
consideration.  We  aimed  to  have  between  sixty  and 
eighty  pullets  the  first  winter.  We  raised  seventy-two 
pullets  out  of  the  two  hundred  fifteen  chicks  purchased, 
and  eighty-two  cockerels — one  hundred  fifty-four  in  all, 
which  is  about  seventy-two  per  cent  of  the  entire  num- 
ber.    A  good  many  people   do  better   than   that;   but  we 


Fig.   2. — Interior  of 

•Style   A  •      ouse  showing  clear  floor 

method  of  bolting  sections  together 

trapnest;    B,    exterior   ar 

d    interior   view   of    trap    sprung    by 

hen  on  entering,  C,  trap 

unset  and  shoved  out  of  the  way. 

are  glad  if  we  can,  on  a  larger  scale,  get  one  good  pullet 
for  each  three  chicks  hatclied.  Many  plants  figure  one 
out  of  four. 

Chicks  Artificially  Hatched  and  Brooded 
We  did  not  do  any  incubating  until  the  second  sea- 
son. We  then  ran  off  three  hatches  from  a  two  hundred 
twenty-egg  machine,  getting  187,  176  and  155  chicks  re- 
spectively. We  have  never  set  a  hen,  and  never  expect  to. 
It  is  too  small  potatoes  to  bother  with — commercially. 
When  you  can  get  a  three  hundred  ninety  egg  machine, 
with  twenty  minutes  care  a  day,  to  give  you  as  high  as 
three  hundred  sixteen  fine  healthy  chicks,  you  do  not 
care  to  bother  with  hens.  Our  incubator  capacity  for  the 
coming  season  will  be  approximately  five  thousand  eggs 
and  we  shall  hatch  all  our  Leghorns  in  April.  This  will 
insure  their  reaching  maturity  well  before  November. 

On  our  plant  we  make  it  a  point  of  having  our  chicks 
as  nearly  the  same  as  possible.  We  have  found  that 
shifting  chicks  from  brooder  to  colony  houses  entails  loss 
and  great  trouble,  so  we  have  come  to  adopt  the  so-called 
colony  brooder,  in  which  the  chicks  can  be  raised  to  ma- 
turity. We  place  sixty  chicks  in  a  three  feet  by  six,  two- 
compartment  colony  brooder  and  cull  out  the  cockerels 
as  soon  as  we  can  distinguish  them.  These  are  fattened 
for  broilers  and  disposed  of  as  rapidly  as  possible.  We 
find  it  does  not  pay  to  mature  a  Leghorn  cockerel  unless 
you  wish  to  keep  him  as  a  breeder.  When  losses  are 
taken  into  consideration,  this  will  leave  approximately 
twenty-five  pullets  in  each 
colony  brooder,  which  is  an 
ideal  number.  They  will 
thrive.  Overcrowding  is 
fatal  to  success.  Only  vig- 
orous birds  will  prove  to  be 
winter  layers. 

Food  for  the  Chicks— White 
Diarrhoea 

We  have  not  found  that 
we  can  improve  on  the  dry 
grain  method  of  feeding 
brooder  chicks.  For  the  first 
three  days  we  feed  bread 
crumbs  and  hard  boiled  eggs, 
chopped  fine.  Thereafter,  we 
use  a  good  prepared  chick 
food  until  the  chicks  are  ten 
to  twelve  weeks  old,  when 
they  are  gradually  weaned, 
and  cracked  corn  and  whole 
wheat  in  equal  parts  are  sub- 
stituted. Beef  scrap  is  fed 
from  the  tenth  day  on.  Char- 
coal and  grit  are  kept  constantly  before  them,  and  their  - 
water  is  supplied  in  sanitary  fountains  and  renewed  three 
times  daily. 

Much  loss  is  sustained  through  the  ravages  of  white 
diarrhoea.  An  effective  preventive  is  to  put  a  teaspoon- 
ful  of  five  per  cent  carbolic  acid  (commercial  solution)  in 
ten  quarts  of  water.  Use  this  as  drinking  water  from  the 
start  until  chicks  are  ten  to  twelve  weeks  old,  and  you 
will  have  little  trouble  with  diarrhoea. 
Housing  the  Birds 
When  the  chicks  reach  the  age  of  three  months,  the 
brooder  is  converted  into  a  colony  house  and  they  are 
given  the  freedom  of  the  enclosure.  All  those  that  appear 
backward  are  disposed  of  as  broilers,  and  only  the  vig- 


THE   LEGHORNS 


orous  specimens  are  kept.     A  weakling  will  never  make  a 
layer  of  sufficient  worth  to  pay  her  board. 

Right  at  the  start  we  avoided  two  common  errors. 
We  did  not  build  ramshackle  houses  in  which  no  hen 
could  well  thrive,  nor  did  we  overcrowd.  At  the  very 
least,  three  square  feet  of  unencumbered  floor  space  must 
be  allowed  per  hen;  and  furthermore,  this  holds  good 
only  where  the  flock  numbers  fifty  birds  or  over.  For 
smaller  flocks,  four  and  even  five  square  feet  must  be 
provided.  This  is  a  matter  of  vital  importance,  and  one 
on  which  I  have  personally  noticed  most  beginners  go 
wrong.  It  follows,  as  a  natural  consequence,  that  the 
flock  of  fifty  or  even  larger  numbers,  is  the  most  economi- 
cal to  house.  The  old  idea  of  the  "long  house,"  divided 
into  numerous  connecting  small  pens,  has  been  abandoned 
on  the  most  successful  commercial  plants.  The  birds  are 
housed  in  separate  houses,  in  flocks  approximating  fifty. 

Starting  on  a  city  lot,  and  appieciating  that  we  would 
have  to  move  a  number  of  times,  before  we  were  finally 
settled  in  a  permanent  location,  we  were  put  to  it  to  make 
our  houses  portable.  After  much  diligent  search,  we 
could  find  nothing  portable  of  suitable  construction.  It 
was  about  this  time  that  the  "fresh  air"  houses  were  being 
much  talked  of,  and  satisfactory  results  were  being  ob- 
tained in  all  localities.  The  "fresh  air"  principle  has 
probably  done  more  for  the  success  of  the  poultry  plant 
using  it  than  any  other  idea  that  has  been  advanced  in  the 
last  decade. 

The  many  articles  that  ap- 
peared in  Reliable  Poultry 
Journal  describing  the  "Tol- 
man  Fresh  Air  House"  de- 
cided us.  Just  before  starting 
to  build,  however,  Mr.  H. 
Heidenhain's  article  outlining 
his  modification  of  the  Tolman 
house,  appeared  in  the  May. 
1906,  issue  of  the  Reliable 
Poultry  Journal.  We  set  about 
planning  this  house  on  the 
portable  scheme  and  erecteil 
our  "House  A,"  an  interi-ii- 
and  exterior  view  of  whicli  i- 
presented  herewith.  The  up- 
rights are  two  by  three  spruce 
and  are  bolted  firmly  together. 
Each  side  is  made  in  four  sec- 
tions, and  the  roof  and  floor 
are  in  twelve  sections  each, 
making  forty  sections  in  all. 
Except  for  the  portable  feat- 
ure, the  house  is  identical  with  Mr.  Heidenhain's  plan. 
We  use  upper  and  lower  muslin  screens  in  each  door, 
which  are  closed  at  night  or  during  storms.  We  find  it  of 
great  advantage  to  have  these  screens  outside  instead  of 
inside,  as  in  this  way  the  necessity  of  opening  each  house 
to  close  the  screens,  is  obviated. 

The  accompanying  photographs  of  our  "House  B" 
show  how  we  modified  an  old  time  glass  front  house  to 
the  "fresh  air"  type,  by  taking  out  the  two  middle  win- 
dows and  substituting  screen  doors  and  muslin  frames. 

We  also  adopted  Mr.  Heidenhain's  plan  of  keeping 
the  hens  in  the  house  the  entire  winter.  The  floor  was 
covered  to  a  depth  of  six  inches  with  sawdust  of  a 
coarse  variety  (planer  shavings)  in  which  the  grain  was 
scattered  to  enforce  the  needed  exercise  which  is  so  es- 


sential to  winter  egg  production.  This  14  by  14  house 
wintered  the  seventy-two  pullets,  and  our  egg  yield  ex- 
ceeded forty-five  per  cent  the  entire  winter,  with  eggs 
selling  from  the  door  at  fifty  cents  a  dozen.  We  did  not 
have  a  case  of  sickness  in  the  house  the  entire  winter. 

The  droppings  board  was  cleaned,  without  fail,  each 
morning.  The  floor  space  of  the  house  being  entirely 
clear,  the  birds  were  forced  to  roost  during  the  day  on 
the  perches,  thus  keeping  the  sawdust  clean.  We  ascribe 
much  of  our  success  to  the  scrupulous  cleanliness  of  the 
houses  and  nests.  Little  as  it  may  be  supposed,  hens 
like  nice,  clean,  sunny  quarters;  and  a  happy  and  well-fed 


FiK,  3. — .\urora  Leghorn 
Farm's  "Style  B"  house,  a 
modified,  glass  front 
house.  Note  the  wire 
screen  doors  with  muslin 
frames  hooked  back  for 
summer  use  and  the  win- 
dows  open. 


pullet  cannot  fail  to  re- 
spond to  such  surround- 
ings. 

Value  of  Green  Cut  Bone 

We  are  inclined,  how- 
ever, to  ascribe  much  of 
our  success  in  securing 
winter  eggs  to  the  feed- 
ing of  green  cut  bone. 
We  would  not  be  with- 
out this  food  at  any  cost. 
Three    pounds    for    each 


one  hundred  fowls,  fed  daily,  will  produce  more  eggs  than 
any  food  with  which  we  are  acquainted.  There  is  no 
comparison  between  green  bone  and  beef  scraps. 

From  the  start  we  have  endeavored  so  to  conduct  our 
plant  that  a  system  could  be  devised  which  is  susceptible 
of  application  on  a  larger  scale.  We  have  tried  not  to 
get  into  the  habit  of  giving  the  few  houses  of  chickens 
which  we  have  so  much  care  that  it  would  be  impossible 
to  carry  the  system  out  on  a  large  scale.  It  is  here  that 
so  many  fail.  We  hear  talk  of  the  "five-hundred-hen  man" 
and  the  "one-thousand-hen  man,"  and  of  the  "few  two- 
thousand-hen  men."  Our  hens  received  no  more  care 
or  supervision  than  we  could  supply  to  same  hens  if  ten 
or  twenty  times  the  number  were  kept. 

Bearing  in  mind  that  we  wished  to  secure  a  system 


THE   LEGHORNS 


127 


that  was  susceptible  of  being  carried  out  on  a  large  scale 
ultimately,  we  adopted  the  Maine  Experiment  Station 
system  of  feeding.  This  is  to  scatter  in  the  litter  each 
night  after  dark,  four  quarts  of  cracked  corn  per  one  hun- 
dred birds,  and  at  ten  A.  M.  to  scatter  four  quarts  of 
whole  wheat  in  the  litter.  Supply  fresh  water  each  morn- 
ing and  feed  the  green  bone  one-half  ounce  to  a  hen.  At 
noon  feed  green  food — cabbages,  which  we  obtain  from 
the  farmers  about;  otherwise,  alfalfa.  There  is  kept  be- 
fore the  fowls  all  the  time  a  dry  mash  consisting  (by 
weight)  of  two  parts  bran,  one  part  wheat  middlings,  one 
part  corn  meal,  one-quarter  part  oil  meal,  one  part  beef 
scraps.  This  is  fed  in  hoppers.  Oyster  shell,  grit  and 
charcoal  are  before  the  fowls  always. 

Hens  kept  as  a  side  line  on  this  system  can  be  tended 
night  and  morning,  if  necessary,  with  equally  good  re- 
sults. All  grain  could  be  scattered  at  night  and  the  bone 
and  green  food  fed  when  watering  in  the  morning. 

Fertility  of  the  Eggs 

It  is  generally  conceded  that  it  is  not  necessary  to 
keep  males  with  the  pullets  in  order  that  a  good  egg  yield 
may  be  obtained.  We  have  found,  however,  that  it  is  ad- 
visable to  keep  one  or  two  males  in  a  house  with  sixty 
females.  Left  to  themselves  the  females  are  apt  to  pick 
at  one  another.  Such  a  male  is  of  course  of  no  use  later 
as  a  breeder,  and  we,  therefore,  use  old  cocks  in  the 
laying  house. 

One  of  the  difficult  problems  that  is  ever  before  the 
poultryman  is  the  question  of  fertility.  I  append  a  table 
showing  the  fertility  of  our  eggs  last  season. 

Aurora  Leghorn  Farm,  Fertility  of  Hatching  Eggs,  1908 

Per  Mo. 

Teated  Cant  Oiieks 

Date  Set                                                        No.  Eggs  Out  Fertile  Hatched 

March  8   129  11  .92  78 

March  15   121  8  .93  94 

March  23 391  35  .91  291 

April  3  220  22  .90  149 

April  8   120  6  .95  91 

April  17  391  43  .89  287 

April  29  120  11  .90  83 

May  9  390  36  .91  234 

May  9  390  38  .90  235 

May  13  390  36  .90  289 

May  16  390  26  .93  316 

May  27  '. 12U  11  .90  99 

May  31  390  69  .82  143 

May  31  390  ■   72  .81  187 

June  6  390  85  .78  230 

June  13  390  96  .75  251 

June  18  120  36  .70  74 

June  28  390  150  .62  191 

June  28  390  141  .63  179 

July  4   390  111  .71  173 

July  10   390  69  .82  272 

The  two  machines  set  on  May  9th  were  delayed  in  ar- 
riving and  were  set  with  eggs  that  had  been  saved  for 
them,  the  oldest  eggs  being  four  weeks  old.  This  resulted 
in  relatively  poor  hatches.  It  will  be  noted  that  the  ma- 
chines filled  immediately  afterwards  with  eggs  not  over 
a  week  old,  gave  the  best  hatches  of  the  season. 

All  our  machines  are  of  the  same  make — concededly 
one  of  the  btst  manufactured.  Yet  we  notice  a  marked 
difference  in  their  performance  for  which  we  cannot  ac- 
count. 


How  We  Get  Fertile  Eggs 

It  will  be  noticed  from  the  table  above  that  we  had 
very  excellent  fertility  up  to  the  end  of  May — which  marks 
the  end  of  the  setting  season  for  the  commercial  farmer. 
We  account  for  this  as  follows: 

Our  males  are  kept  separated  from  the  females  from 
October  until  February.  They  are  made  to  "rough  it,"  be- 
ing allowed  out  in  all  kinds  of  weather;  whereas  the  hens 
are  kept  confined  in  the  fresh  air  houses  all  winter — from 
Thanksgiving  to  St.  Patrick's  Day.  When  we  mate  up, 
we  put  in  one  cockerel  to  twenty  females.  This  is  done 
about  two  weeks  before  the  fowls  are  let  out.  When  they 
are  allowed  out,  the  flocks  have  free  range.  We  then  in- 
troduce enough  additional  males  to  make  the  proportion 
one  to  fifteen,  and  we  find  by  this  method  that  all  the  hens 
receive  attention,  as  the  cockerels  introduced  last,  acquire 
a  following  of  their  own.  In  this  way  a  more  natural  se- 
lection is  affected.  The  birds  will  mate  themselves  bet- 
ter than  we  can  do  it  for  them.  All  specimens  being  of  the 
type  we  desire,  we  do  not  seek  "special  matings." 

We  keep  our  hens  two  years,  and  we  find  that  they 
lay  as  pullets  much  better  than  as  hens.  If  it  were  not 
that  we  need  the  hens  as  breeders,  we  would  keep  only 
pullets.  We  have  not  tried  the  enforced  molt  on  the  Van 
Dresser  system  of  withholding  food  for  two  or  three 
weeks  and  putting  the  hens  on  a  grass  run,  some  time 
in  July  or  August.  We  object  to  doing  this,  as  we  con- 
sider it  unnatural  to  force  the  molt,  and  feel  that  it  is 
bound  to  hurt  the  vitality  of  the  hen,  which  we  wish  to 
use  as  a  breeder.  We  are  probably  wrong,  but  "stick 
close  to  nature"  is  our  motto,  and  we  are  satisfied  with 
our  results. 

What  We  Have  Accomplished 

And  now  as  to  results.  Ours  is  an  egg  farm.  We 
cater  to  the  largest  market  in  the  New  World.  It  has 
been  said  that  if  all  the  vacant  land  within  fifty  miles  of 
New  York  City  were  to  be  occupied  by  poultry  farms, 
they  could  not  begin  to  supply  the  eggs  used  within  the 
city.  Furthermore,  western  and  market  eggs  generally 
are  so  stale  when  they  reach  the  consumer  in  this  city, 
that  there  is  an  unlimited  deinand  for  really  fresh  eggs 
(not  over  three  days  old)  at  prices  ranging  from  forty 
cents  to  sixty  cents  per  dozen.  To  substantiate  this  state- 
ment I  will  say  that  we  accept  the  entire  shipments  of  a 
number  of  men  who  buy  and  raise  our  day-old  chicks, 
and  put  these  eggs  out  to  our  private  trade.  We  can  do 
this  fairly,  as  the  chickens  are  really  the  same  as  our  own 
and  their  eggs  are  consequently  quite  uniform  with  ours. 
We  guarantee  these  men  that  they  will  receive  fifteen  cents 
above  the  average  market  price  on  the  New  York  Produce 
Exchange.    This  is  net  to  them. 

Our  egg  yield  in  our  novice  year  was  144.4  eggs  per 
hen.  In  our  second  year  it  was  162.4,  and  this  year  it 
bids  fair  to  exceed  that  mark.  Of  course  we  started 
small.  The  first  year  we  had  one  house  full — the  portable 
"Style  A"  illustrated  herein.  At  the  end  of  the  year,  we 
took  down  our  portable  house  and  moved  to  the  two- 
acre,  old  homestead  at  East  49th  street  on  the  old  Mill 
Lane — quite  an  historic  road  in  Brooklyn  in  Revolu- 
tionary times.  That  winter  we  had  two  hundred  forty 
layers  and  this  winter  we  have  three  hundred  and  twenty 
layers.  For  the  winter  of  1909  we. are  planning  to  have  at 
least  six  hundred  layers. 

The  increase  in  our  average  egg  yield  is  due  to  trap- 
nesting  all  layers  and  selecting  therefrom  those  that  pro- 
duce over  one  hundred  sixty  eggs  per  year.  Only  vigorous, 
well-sized    birds,   in    excellent    condition    are   taken.     We 


THE  LEGHORNS 


breed  hens  in  their  second  season  with  early  hatched 
cockerels  that  have  been  kept  separated.  The  fertility 
we  get  has  been  shown  above. 

The  first  year  we  netted  $3.74  per  hen.  This  was  after 
allowing  an  expense  of  $1.42  per  bird.  There  was  no 
labor  expense  that  year,  and  our  price  ranged  from  3Sc 
to  SOc  per  dozen.  The  second  year  our  expense  per  bird 
was  $1.79,  including  the  hire  of  a  boy  for  a  few  hours 
daily;  but  as  our  prices  ranged  from  40c  to  60c  per  dozen, 
we  had  gross  receipts  of  $5.96  per  hen,  which  left  $4.17 
net  profit  for  our  own  labor  and  investment. 

In  these  figures  are  not  included  any  profit  made 
from  the  sale  of  "day-old"  chicks.  All  eggs  were  charged 
up  at  the  price  at  which  they  would  have  sold  as  table 
eggs.  This  year  we  shall  set  thirty  thousand  eggs,  selling 
all  chicks  we  do  not  need,  at  twelve  cents  each. 

In  figuring  cost  per  bird  we  have  charged  the  cost  of 
maintaining  the  males  against  the  hens.  That  is,  we 
have  divided  all  expenditures  by  the  number  of  hens 
kept.     Before  doing  this  we  subtracted   the  value  of  the 


males  used  as  table  poultry  and  those  sold  as  breeders. 
We  think  this  a  fair  enough  way  to  keep  the  books.  Run- 
ning an  egg  farm,  our  unit  is  the  layer;  and  if  males 
have  to  be  kept  as  a  part  of  the  breeding  establishment, 
we  deem  it  just  to  charge  their  expense  against  the  hen 
in  figuring  her  annual  profit. 

We  also  find  that  the  cost  of  hatching  and  raising  a 
layer  is  fully  equaled  by  the  receipts  from  the  sale  of 
her  when  we  are  through  with  her.  This  is  more  es- 
pecially true  when  we  consider  the  returns  from  the  sale 
of  the  surplus  cockerels  as  broilers.  It  costs  us  sixteen 
cents  for  feed  to  raise  a  thirty-seven  and  one-half  cent 
broiler,  leaving  us  over  twenty  cents  to  apply  on  the  value 
of  the  eggs  incubated,  the  oil,  and  the  feed  of  the  pullets 
for  the  first  two  months.  We  can  always  sell  our  two 
year  old  hens  at  more  than  a  dollar  apiece,  and  in  the  es- 
timation of  profit  per  hen  we  have  not  added  the  profit 
from  this  source,  because  we  have  not  kept  accurate  rec- 
ords on  these  points.  A  more  accurate  method  of  book- 
keeping would  merely  show  a  larger  profit  per  hen,  than 
that  already  credited. 


Leghorn  Broilers  for  the  Hotel  Trade 


The  Production  of  Squab  Broilers  a  Most   Profitable  Branch  of  the    Poultry  BuHiness.     Best  Methods 

of  Killing,  Picking,  Packing  and  Shipping  Broilers  to  ^ew  York  Hotels. 

Forcing  and  Fattening  Broilers. 


Propr 


J.  Courtney  PunHerford 

of  Monmouth  Poultry  Farms,  I 


THE  broiler  end  of  the  poultry  business  is  a  problem 
which  is  of  deep  interest  to  every  breeder,  es- 
pecially the  large  producer.  We  usually  figure  50 
per  cent  cockerels  from  our  entire  season's  output  of 
young  stock.  Now,  take  the  farms  which  aim  to  hatch 
6,000  chicks,  and  mature  2,500  pullets  for  the  fall  trade 
and  their  own  use.  They  will  have  anywhere  from  2,500 
to  2,700  cockerels  to  dispose  of.  Naturally,  no  one  farm 
could  sell  the  above  number  of  matured  males,  nor  one- 
half  that  number.  So  the  question  arises  how  to  dispose 
of  them  in  the  most  profitable  way,  and  clear  the  farm  of 
them  as  soon  as  possible. 

Any  well  conducted  farm  will  have  special  cockerel 
matings  from  which  they  expect  to  select  their  show 
birds  for  the  coming  season,  also  their  breeders  and  sell- 
ing stock.  The  average  run  of  males  from  these  matings 
will  be  of  a  much  higher  grade  than  from  the  general 
utility  pen.     These  are  the  males  we  keep,  and  the  large 


quantity    of   utility    cockerels    are    left    to    be    disposed    of 
within  10  to  12  weeks  from  birth. 

Disposing  of  the  Utility  Cockerels 
The  question  then  comes  up,  how  to  dispose  of  them, 
when  to  dispose  of  them,  and  the  price  to  be  obtained. 
There  are  two  classes  of  broilers;  squab  broilers,  weighing 
14  ounces  to  one  pound  and  the  lJ/2  to  1^  pound  broilers. 
From  my  experience  there  is  more  money  in  the  squab 
broilers  as  they  can  be  ready  for  market  in  from  seven 
to  eight  weeks  and  command  within  20  cents  of  the  1^ 
to  1^  broilers,  which  need  from  10  to  11  weeks  in  which 
to  be  ready  for  the  market. 

When  one  has  a  large  number  of  broilers  to  market 
he  ought  to  make  a  contract  where  he  can  obtain  the 
highest  price,  not  be  satisfied  with-  the  market  quotation, 
which  is  extremely  low,  and  will  not  pay  for  labor  and 
tVi.-il.     Tl-e  high  class   New  York  hotels  are  the  places  to 


This  illustration  shows  the  Office  of  Monmouth  Poultry  Farm,  also  a  portion  of  the  Buff  Leghorn  Breeding  House.  Pens 
are  10  by  14  and  runs  75  feet  long.  Young  apple  trees  are  planted  in  the  yards  for  shade,  and  are  bearing  for  the  first 
time  this  year.  Muslin  frames  are  used  in  winter  time.  This  House  is  150  feet  long  and  contains  200  breeders  all  put  up 
In  special  matings. 


THE   LEGHORNS 


129 


go.  They  are  willing  to  pay  for  quality  and  are  always 
looking  for  soine  reliable  farm  to  deal  with.  It  is  hard, 
I  admi?,  (pardon  a  slang  expression)  "to  get  next"  to  the 
steward,  as  this  personage  is  usually  hemmed  in  and 
guarded  as  closely  as  the  president  of  the  United  States, 
.and  when  a  business  card  with  the  words  "Dressed  Poul- 
try or  Eggs"  on  it,  is  sent  down,  the  usual  reply  is,  "Mr. 
X.  is  very  busy  and  cannot  see  you." 

Dealing   With   Hotel   Stewards 

Nevertheless,  perseverance  has  its  reward  and  you 
at  last  enter  his  august  presence.  The  first  question 
which  is  hurled  at  your  head  is  "why  should  I  change 
my  supply  as  I  am  very  well  satisfied?"  If  you  have 
confidence  in  yourself  and  your  output  you  at  once  be- 
gin to  show  him  why  your  broilers  are  better  than  those 
of  the  other  fellows.  Then  question  of  price  arises.  I 
would  say  here  that  most  of  the  larger,  strictly  high- 
class  hotels  pay  about  the  same  for  squab  broilers,  any- 
where from  $1.00  to  $1.20  per  pair  and  for  broilers  weigh- 
ing IH  to  1^  lbs.,  $1.20  to  $1.60  per  pair.  Being  a  con- 
vincing talker  we  will  say  that  you  are  given  a  trial  order 
of  ten  pairs.  When  received,  and  if  the  shipment  lives  up 
to  your  description,  you  have  a  standing  order.  A  farm 
cannot  be  too  careful  with  each  shipment  made.  I  remem- 
ber a  case  when  I  almost  lost  the  contract  through  the 
carelessness  of  my  packer,  by  his  putting  in  a  pair  of 
broilers  which  were  most  inferior  to  the  rest  and  also 
had  torn  breasts.  It  took  a  good  half  hour  on  my  part 
assuring  the  "power  that  be"  that  this  would  not  oc- 
cur again. 

Specimens  Must  Be  Uniform 

What  is  most  essential  is  that  shipments  must  be 
uniform,  they  must  be  dry  picked;  they  must  not  show  a 
lot  of  dark  pin  feathers  and  when  dressed  should  present  a 


This  illustration  shows  the  pickers  at  work  and  the 
broilers  being  killed  by  the  sticking  process.  The  tub  at 
the  right  Is  where  the  broiler  is  thrown  as  soon  as  picked. 
This  is  filled  with  cold  water  and  takes  out  the  animal  heat. 
The  crate  on  the  left  is  filled  with  cockerels  awaiting  killing. 
Notice  the  box  at  the  killer's  feet  which  is  filled  with  bran. 
The  bird  hangs  over  this  and  is  allowed  to  drip  after  the 
sticking.  After  the  shipment  is  made,  the  bran  and  blood 
are  mixed  up  in  a  mash  and  fed  back  to  the  broilers  which 
are  coming  on.     This  is  greatly  relished  by  them. 


nice  yellow  skin,  with  well  rounded  breast  and  plump, 
meaty  legs.  The  heads  are  always  left  on  with  the  feath- 
ers half  way  down  the  neck.  The  feet  and  legs  should 
always  be  well  washed  and  the  mouth,  bill  and  face 
thoroughly  cleansed  and  all  signs  of  blood  reinoved. 


A  great  deal  depends  on  your  pickers.  They  should 
be  extremely  careful  not  to  tear  the  breast  or  any  sec- 
tion of  the  broilers,  as  the  stewards  are  always  particular 
on  this  point. 

Best  Method  of  Killing  and  Packing 

The  best  method  of  killing,  in  fact  the  only  right  way, 
is  by  sticking  or  cutting  the  jugular  with  a  long,  sharp- 
pointed   knife,   then  allowing  the  bird  to  bleed  a  bit  and 


The   above    illustratic 
box   contains   20   pairs   of 

in  paraffine  paper.     The  boxes  have  holes  bored  in  all  four 

rculation  of  air,  also  for  a  drain  for 

heavy  sheet  of  parafCine  paper  is 

■--    then  a  thin  layer  of  excelsior 


the  melting  ice.  Anothe.  . 
placed  over  the  top  broiler 
and  the  lid  is  nailed  on. 


plucking  at  once  before  the  feathers  become  set.  So  skill- 
ful and  quick  is  the  expert  picker,  that  I  have  seen  a 
broiler  nearly  featherless,  jump  out  of  the  picker's  lap, 
showing  that  quite  a  little  life  remained. 

Each  broiler  should  be  wrapped  in  parafiine  paper, 
for  some  might  drip  a  little  blood  from  the  mouth  and 
unless  thoroughly  wrapped  would  soil  the  rest.  Also  this 
prevents  the  ice  from  coming  next  to  the  skin,  and  yet 
keeps  the  shipment  in  perfect  condition.  As  each  bird  is 
finished  it  is  thrown  in  a  large  tub  of  clean,  cold  water, 
in  order  to  take  out  the  animal  heat.  Before  wrapping 
each  broiler's  head,  mouth  and  feet  are  washed  and  any 
'oose  feathers  plucked  off,  so  as  to  present  a  nice,  neat 
appearance. 

Shipping  Packages  By  Express 

The  packing  box  should  have  holes  bored  in  the  bot- 
tom, sides  and  top,  to  allow  a  circulation  of  air  and  the 
melting  ice  to  run  off.  The  box  should  also  be  perfectly 
clean  with  no  odor,  and  as  light  as  possible  to  reduce  ex- 
pressage  to  a  minimum. 

PERISHABLE,  KEEP  COOL,  should  be  printed  in 
large  letters  on  each  tag,  so  the  Express  Co.  will  not  put 
your  shipment  under  a  pile  of  other  goods.  In  all  my  ex- 
perience of  shipping  broilers  I  have  never  had  a  shipment 
arrive  in  bad  condition,  simply  through  taking  every 
precaution.  And  I  would  say  that  the  shipper  cannot  be 
too  careful,  for  it  is  always  "up  to  him." 

Removing  the   Down   From  Squab   Broilers 

A  squab  broiler  will  usually  pick  with  quite  a  little 
down  showing,  and  we  obviate  this  by  using  an  alcohol 
flame  and  holding  the  bird  just  far  enough  above  this  so 
.  it  is  not  scorched  and  yet  so  all  the  down  is  taken  oflf. 


THE   LEGHORNS 


This  is  done  before  the   squab  is  put  in  the  tub,   and  it 
will  then  present  a  perfectly  smooth,  clean  surface. 

Forcing  and  Fattening  Broilers 
Some  farms  prepare  their  broilers  by  cooping  them  up 
a  week  or  ten  days  before  shipment  and  forcing  them  to  the 
limit  with  fattening  foods.  This  is  no  doubt  a  little  quicker 
way  to  bring  them  along,  but  I  know  that  many  are  forced 
off  their  feet  by  this  method  and  simply  go  light.  I  have 
never  used  this  method,  but  simply  do  not  allow  the  cock- 
erels wfhich  I  intend  for  market  the  unlimited  range  I  would 
the 'males  I  intend  for  breeders,  and  feed  th'l^  more 
'fattening  foods,  such  as  corn  and  a  good  fattenilig  mash, 
also  feed  them  three  times  instead  of  twice  daily.  I  have 
had  good  success  this  way  and  never  have  a  lot  off  their 
feet  and  going  back.  If  broilers  are  forced  to  the  limit 
they  have  to  be  marketed  on  the  exact  date  when  they 
are  ready,  for  if  they  are  not,  from  that  date  they  will  be- 


gin to  lose.  Shipping  on  a  certain  date  is  not  always 
convenient,  for  the  hotel  might  have  a  surplus  on  hand 
and  wish  you  to  delay  a  week.  This  makes  it  bad,  for  it 
is  most  hard  to  keep  them  right  for  a  week  longer,  es- 
pecially if  they  are  what  we  call  "ripe."  By  the  method 
I  use  if  we  are  asked  to  skip  a  week  or  even  two,  we 
have  no  fear  of  their  "going  back"  and  simply  gradually 
cut  their  ration  down  a  little  which  does  not  react  on 
their  system  in  any  way.  Of  course,  each  farm  has  its 
own  system  of  feeding  and  conditioning,  and  the  one 
which  gives  the  best  results  is  the  one  to  be  followed. 
I  have  simply  stated  the  one  from  which  I  derive  the  most 
good.  Above  all  things  do  not  feed  a  lot  of  cockerels, 
which  if  allowed  to  mature,  will  be  sent  to  the  commis- 
sion house  and  be  a  losing  game,  but  market  them  when 
they  are  broilers  and  do  not  be  content  with  a  nominal 
price,  for  the  high  prices  are  awaiting  you  if  you  will 
only  go  out  and  make  the  effort  to  obtain  them. 


Ho\^  to  Make  White  Leghorns  Pay 

The  Story  of  a  Saccessful  Poultry  Farm  iu  Pennsylvania,  From  Which   the  Owners  Cleared   $1,900 

Profit  in  One  ITear  and  Increased  (he  Original  Investment  of  Tw^o  Thousand  Dollars 

to  Over  Seven  Thousand  Dollars  in   Six  Years. 


Le  Roy  Sands 


IN  WRITING  this  article,  it  is  my  intent  to  tell  of 
the  qualifications  that  I  think  one  must  possess  to 
become  a  successful  poultryman,  and  also  describe 
the  methods  that  enable  us  to  make  a  net  profit  of  nearly 
two  thousand  dollars  from  eleven  hundred  S.  C.  White 
Leghorns,  during  the  past  year. 

In  the  first  place,  one  of  the  first  essentials  for  suc- 
cess in  poultry  breeding  is  an  inborn  liking  for  the  busi- 
ness. It  is  plainly  evident  to  succeed  in  any  line  that 
we  must  possess  a  strong  liking  for  the  lines  we  are  to 
follow,  otherwise  we  will  fail  to  put  forth  our  best  en- 
ergies, and  as  success  is  measured  in  proportion  to  the 
efforts  that  we  put  into  our  business,  unless  it  be  our  best 
effort,  we  can  not  expect  our  full  measure  of  success. 

Poultry  raising  in  any  of  its  branches  if  followed  for 
financial  ends,  becomes  similar  to  a  manufacturing  busi- 
ness and  the  same  as  the  manufacturer  of  machinery, 
shoes,  etc.,  requires  the  same  application  of  business 
methods  in  order  to  succeed.  In  other  words,  you  must 
keep  books  with  your  hens,  charging  every  item  of  labor, 
food,  etc.,  and  giving  credit  for  all  returns.  With  such 
business  methods  mix  a  liberal  amount  of  common  sense 
and  the  balance  is  easy. 

About  six  years  ago  I  decided  to  enter  the  poultry  in- 
dustry with  the  view  of  building  up  a  business  that  would 
prove  profitable  from  a  financial  standpoint.  I  interested 
a  friend  in  the  project  and  we  secured  a  farm'  of  twenty- 
two  acres  with  a  very  desirable  southern  slope  and  good 
natural  drainage.  The  farm  secured  we  immediately 
erected  buildings  and  began  operations.  By  constant 
watchfulness  and  close  attention  to  details,  our  first  ef- 
forts were  flatteringly  successful,  and  we  planned  to  in- 
crease the  plant.  Each  season  we  have  made  additions  to 
our  buildings  or  equipment,  doing  this  out  of  the  profits 
of  this  business.  Beyond  our  original  investment  we  have 
never  invested  a  dollar  in  the  plant  except  that  derived 
in  profits  from  the  business.  Starting  with  one  building, 
we  now  have  four  large  laying  and  breeding  houses,  an 
incubator    cellar,    equipped   with    a    mammoth    incubator; 


besides  several  individual  machines,  a  brooder  house  with 
a  hot  water  brooding  system  of  twenty  hovers  and  several 
colony  houses  and  brooders  equipped  with  adaptable  hov- 
ers. In  addition  to  this  we  have  made  extensive  improve- 
'Btents  upon  the  farm  in  the  way  of  clearing  up  rough 
.fields  and  putting  them  under  cultivation  in  order  to  se- 
cure better  range  for  our  birds.  We  also  drove  a  ninety 
foot  well  and  erected  a  wind  mill  with  a  storage  reservoir 
of  large  capacity.  The  water  from  this  is  piped  to  all 
buildings  on  the  farm,  giving  us  a  convenient  and  never 
failing  water  supply.  All  of  this  and  many  other  small 
details  have  been  accomplished  in  a  period  of  six  years. 
Starting  with  an  original  investment  of  approximately  two 
thousand  dollars,  we  now  have  a  plant  worth  at  a  very 
conservative  estimate,  seven  thousand  and  five  hundred 
dollars,  above  all  of  this  we  have  a  neat  bank  balance  to 
the  credit  of  our  hens.  This  has  been  accomplished  by 
applying  strict  business  methods,  that  is,  by  keeping  books 
with  our  hens,  charging  every  dollar  invested  up  to  them 
and  placing  to  their  credit  every  dollar  received  from  sales. 
Not  only  have  we  inci  eased  the  original  value  of  our 
plant  ov«r  three-fold,  but  we  have  a  balance  to  the  credit 
of  the  business  that  more  than  off-sets  the  original  in- 
vestment. So  much  for  the  financial  side  of  the  business 
and  the  methods  to  which  I  attribute  our  success. 

Houses 

I  will  now  say  a  few  words  in  regard  to  houses;  these 
are  all  of  the  curtain  front  type,  the  design  varying  to 
suit  our  own  ideas.  One  of  these  may  be  seen  by  re- 
ferring to  the  illustration  on  page  132.  They  are  all  con- 
structed with  three  tight  sides  with  front  composed  of 
windows  and  muslin  curtains.  The  curtain  is  placed  high 
enough  above  the  floor  so  that  the  cold  draughts  can  not 
strike  the  birds  when  confined  to  the  house.  The  window 
is  added  to  give  additional  light  to  the  interior  on  days 
that  the  weather  is  such  that  the  curtains  can  not  be 
opened.  The  houses  vary  in  width  from  twelve  to  twenty 
feet  and  in  length  from  forty  feet  to  one  hundred  and  ten 


THE   LEGHORNS 


131 


feet.  Concrete  floors  are  laid  in  each,  making  them  prac- 
tically rat  proof  and  also  easy  to  clean. 

Proper  housing  is  one  essential  to  success,  but  the 
most  important  is  good  stock.  This  should  be  of  the 
best,  as  more  depends  upon  this  one  point  than  any  other 
part  of  the  business.  In  starting,  we  secured  the  most 
vigorous  birds  obtainable  and  by  careful  breeding,  good 
food  and  strict  attention  to  cleanliness,  as  well  as  numer- 
ous other  little  details  that  only  come  by  experience,  we 
have  kept  them  so. 

Our  plant  was  started  principally  for  commercial  pur- 
poses, the  breeding  of  birds  that  would  produce  a  profit, 
a  profit  on  the  product  sold  at  regular  market  prices. 
But  as  our  operations  extended  and  as  our  success  has 
become  known,  a  demand  has  been  created  for  breeding 
stock,  eggs  for  hatching  and  baby  chicks  and  this  prom- 
ises to  develop  into  a  profitable  branch  of  the  business, 
and  we  expect  in  the  future  by  catering  to  the  demands 
of  this  trade  to  greatly  increase  our  profits  over  those 
shown  in  the  past.  The  value  of  standard-bred  poultry  is 
fast  becoming  recognized  and  the  breeder  who  makes  a 
specialty  of  producing  healthy,  vigorous  stock  with  utility 
qualities  well  developed,  yet  keeping  well  within  bounds 
of  standard  requirements,  is  bound  to  have  ready  demand 
for  stock,  eggs  for  hatching,  or  day-old  chicks.  We  look 
upon  the  latter  as  a  very  promising  branch  of  the  in- 
dustry and  the  demand  for  baby  chicks  is  already  greater 
than  we  are  able  to  supply  with  present  equipment. 

Marketing  the  Product. 

First  comes   the   production  of  the  product,   then   the 


arketing.     Hi 


is  just  as  essential  that  the  little  de- 


tails be  not  overlooked  as  in  any  other  part  of  the  busi- 
ness. It  behooves  us  to  secure  the  best  market  at  the 
best  prices  for  our  product.  We  ship  mostly  to  the  high- 
class  retail  stores  in  New  York  City,  where  we  receive  a 
premium  over  market  quotations.  To  be  sure,  at  some 
seasons  it  is  necessary  that  we  turn  a  few  cases  of  eggs 
in  to  the  commission  man.  His  fee  for  handling  these 
is  5  per  cent.  This  makes  a  slight  difference  in  the  price, 
but  the  surplus  has  to  be  marketed.  The  prices  range 
from  2Sc  per  dozen  in  the  season  of  plenty  to  60c  per 
dozen  when  fresh  laid  eggs  are  scarce.  To  secure  the 
highest  quotations,  they  must  be  strictly  fresh,  carefully 
graded  and  clean.  We  use  the  ordinary  thirty-dozen-egg 
case  and  shipment  is  made  by  express. 

Capacity  of  Plant 

The  housing  capacity  of  our  plant  at  the  present  time 
is  twelve  hundred  hens.  This  is  the  number  placed  into 
winter  quarters,  usually  this  is  reduced  somewhat  during 
late  winter  and  early  spring  by  selling  breeders.  The 
birds  are  put  into  the  winter  quarters  about  October  first. 
Those  not  used  for  breeders  are  fed  for  egg  production 
and  are  kept  as  long  as  they  prove  profitable.  As  soon 
as  they  stop  laying  they  are  marketed,  as  it  is  important 
to  dispose  of  non-producers  as  quickly  as  possible.  We 
plan  to  have  our  stock  consist  of  60  per  cent  pullets  and 
40  per  .cent  hens,  and  have  been  successful  in  keeping 
to  about  this  average. 

The  production  of  eggs  has  averaged  approximately 
one  hundred  thirty-two  eggs  per  hen  for  the  entire  flock. 
Some  selected  birds  do  considerably  better,  but  consider- 
ing the  size  of  the  flock  we  are  very  well  satisfied  with  the 


1 

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MlUMiii 

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A  bird's-eye 


jkjnmouth  poultry  farm.  FRENEAU,  N.  J. 
fair  idea    of 


ind   yards,   tliough   there 


THE   LEGHORNS 


showing.  The  average  price  received  for  these  during 
the  past  year  was  31 J4  cents  per  dozen.  The  sales  from 
the  plant  the  past  year  reached  a  total  of  $4,400  at  mar- 
ket prices.  The  expenses,  including  feed,  labor,  upkeep 
xif  .plant,  etc.,  were  a  little  under  $2,500,  leaving  a  net 
profit  of  over  $1,900  for  the  season's  work. 

As  both  my  associate  and  myself  are  engaged  in 
other  iines  and  devote  only  a  small  portion  of  our  time 
to  actual  work  on  the  plant,  it  seems  to  me  as  if  this  were 
doing  fairly  well.  This  figure  can  be  increased  by  increas- 
ing the  stock,  which  can  be  done  with  only  the  extra  cost 
of  feed  and  no  increase  in  the  cost  of  labor. 

The  laying  stock  are  housed  on  the  unit  system,  each 
flock  containing  from  100  to  400  head.  These  are  pro- 
vided with  generous  range  during  the  open  season,  in  fact 
the  range  is  of  such  size  that  it  is  never  bare.  The  breed- 
ing stock  are  kept  in   flocks   of  20   females  to   one  male. 


breeding  stock  be  strong,  vigorous  and  well  matured. 
This  not  only  has  a  material  bearing  on  the  hatching  of 
the  chicks,  but  on  the  raising  as  well.  All  know,  who 
have  had  experience,  that  it  is  one  thing  to  hatch  a  chick, 
but  quite  another  to  raise  it.  The  average  hatch  at  our 
plant  is  about  65  per  cent  of  the  eggs  incubated  and  we 
rear  an  average  of  85  per  cent  of  the  chicks  hatched. 
This  I  consider  very  good  and  I  think  it  bespeaks  well 
for  our  general  conditions. 

When  the  chicks  are  first  hatched  they  are  placed 
under  the  hovers  of  a  continuous  hot  water  brooding 
system,  and  are  kept  here  until  about  four  weeks  of  age, 
when  they  are  transferred  to  colony  houses,  which  are 
equipped  with  adaptable  hovers.  Here  they  are  allowed 
to  range  when  weather  conditions  will  permit,  and  this 
system  gives  the  best  results  of  any  tried  thus  far.  The 
chick  is  given  plenty  of  heat  during  the  critical  period 
and  receives  careful  attention  from  the  attendant.     After 


In  the  group  of  illustrations  above  is  given  several  views  of  the  Sands  &  Beilman  poultry  farm,  Hawley,  Pa.  In  the 
lower  picture  a  general  view  of  the  main  buildings  is  to  be  had,  on  the  right  is  the  brooder  house  and  Incubator  cellar,  while 
on  the  left  is  shown  one  of  the  laying  houses.  This  house  is  110x15  feet,  contains  five  pens  in  which  a  total  of  405  birds 
were  kept  during  the  last  year.     The  average  egg  production  was  148  eggs  per  capita  from  the  birds  confined  in  this  house. 


These  are  changed  frequently,  thus  insuring  high  fertility. 
The  dry  mash  system  of  feeding  is  followed  and  a 
mash  composed  of  equal  parts  bran,  corn  meal,  middlings 
and  crushed  oats  with  10  per  cent  to  15  per  cent  of  beef 
scraps  added  is  used,  and  is  kept  before  the  birds  at  all 
times.  During  the  winter  about  one-fifth  alfalfa  is  added 
to  the  above.  A  feeding  of  grain  is  given  in  the  morning 
and  afternoon.  This  is  usually  composed  of  35  per  cent 
wheat,  30  per  cent  corn,  10  per  cent  barley,  5  per  cent 
buckwheat  and  20  per  cent  oats.  This  is  varied  some  ac- 
cording to  season  and  prices.  These  rations  have  given 
us  the  best  results  and  I  think  them  the  best  suited  for 
our  conditions  and  locality.  In  addition  to  these  plenti- 
ful supply  of  shells,  grit  and  charcoal  is  always  provided, 
with  a  constant  supply  of  fresh  water.  Many  claim  that 
liberal  feeding  of  yellow  corn  produces  a  creamy  cast  to 
the  plumage.  I  have  used  both  kinds  and  from  my  ex- 
perience would  say  that  I  can  see  no  ill  effects  from 
its  use.  ^. 

Hatching  and  Rearing 

Both  the  small  incubators',  and  a  Candee  Mammoth 
Incubator  are  used  for  hatching  purposes,  a  large  capacity 
being  required,  owing  to  the  rapidly  growing  demand 
for  baby  chicks,  this  branch  of  the  industry  having  added 
materially  to  our  profits  during  the  past  season. 

To   get   good   strong   chicks  it   is   necessary   that   the 


removal  to  the  colony  houses,  the  close  attention  is  not 
required  as  the  chick,  if  it  be  a  good  o.ne,  is  then  well 
on  its  way  as  a  later  profit  producer. 

As  soon  as  the  cockerels  begin  to  become  trouble- 
some, they  are  removed  to  runs  by  themselves  and  are 
marketed  as  broilers  when  the  weight  of  three  pounds 
per  pair  is  reached. 

Practically  Free  Range  is  Given  All  Stock 

The  range  is  cultivated  and  seeded  to  oats,  clovers 
and  grass  seeds  in  the  early  spring.  The  clover  and 
grass  get  a  nice  start  and  make  fine  pasture  for  the  birds 
during  the  fall  until  the  ground  is  frozen  up.  About 
one  acre  of  range  is  allowed  to  every  one  hundred  birds. 
This  may  be  alteinated  so  while  one  is  growing  a  new 
crop  of  green  food,  the  other  may  be  used.  With  this 
system  the  range  is  kept  sweet  and  the  evil  of  contamina- 
tion that  is  ever  present  in  the  small  yards  is  entirely 
disposed  of. 

In  conclusion,  I  wish  to  say  that  I  think  anyone 
possessing  a  liking  for  the  poultry  business  can  duplicate 
our  success,  providing  they  go  slow  and  only  increase  the 
business  as  the  earnings  from  the  plant  warrant.  That 
is,  do  not  invest  every  cent  of  profit  received,  but  keep 
a  small  balance  for  a  working  capital.  It  is  those  who 
rush  blindly  into  business  that  make  failure  of  it.  outline 


THE   LEGHORNS 


133 


your  plan  at  the  start  and  adhere  closely  to  it.  When  we 
started  in  the  business  we  decided  that  only  such  im- 
provements or  additions  should  be  made  as  were  justified 
by  the  earnings  of  the  plant. 

We  have  proven  to  our  own  satisfaction  that  S.  C. 
White  Leghorns  may  be  kept  at  a  nice  profit.  That  it  is 
necessary  to  make  haste  slowly  in  the  poultry  business 
if  success  is   to   be   your  goal.     That  a   fondness   for   the 


business   and    some    experience    is    necessary    if   you    are- 
to  be  successful. 

That  strict  business  methods  are  essential  in  this  aa. 
well  as  any  other  business  if  you  are  to  succeed. 

That  cornmon  sense  is  one  of  the  main  essentiafs 
and  that  strict  attention  to  the  little  details  is  an  abso- 
lute necessity. 


Typical  California  Leghorn  Farms 

Winter  Climate  Ideal  for  Intensive  Poultry  Culture.     Style  of  Low  Cost  Houses 
Csed  by  Successful  Egg  Farmers  Illustrated. 


Profes 


Poullry  Husbandr 


Static 


IN  the  neighborhood  of  Los  Angeles,  California,  there 
are  a  number  of  poultry  farms  that  offer  favorable 
opportunity  for  studying  intensive  methods.  It  would 
be  difficult  to  find  a  winter  climate  that  was  more  ideal 
for  intensive  poultry  culture  than  some  sections  of  South- 
ern California. 

One  of  these  farms  or  "chicken  ranches,"  as  they  are 
called  there,  adjoins  the  city  limits  of  Los  Angeles,  almost 
within  a  stone's  throw  of  the  Cawston  Ostrich  Farm.  It 
is  owned  by  Charles  G.  Weaver.  It  contains  four  acres 
and  at  the  time  of  my  visit  about  1,200  hens  were  kept 
on  it.  It  is  located  on  rather  a  light  sandy  soil,  not  too 
light,  however,  for  the  growth  of  crops,  as  it  was  the  plan 
■  to  cultivate  and  grow  something  on  the  land  every  year, 
and  at  the  time  of  my  visit  quite  a  number  of  the  yards 
were  covered  with  a  good  growth  of  oats,  etc.  Crops 
will  grow  here  the  year  around.  The  yards  were  in  sani- 
tary condition,  and  there  was  no  hard  baked  ground  that 
the  chickens  couldn't  get  theii  toes  into. 

A  Small  Start 

Mr.  Weaver  started  in  the  chicken  business  here  eight 
years  ago  with  35  chickens.  He  bought  the  four  acres 
and  made  the  first  payment  on  borrowed  money.  The 
land  is  now  worth  some  two  thousand  dollars  an  acre 
for  building  purposes.  In  1909  he  started  the  year  with 
500  hens,  but  sold  them  off  during  the  summer  to  325. 
His  profit  that  year  was  $1,800  above  cost  of  feed  and 
hired  help.  The  next  year  he  started  with  850  hens, 
thinned  them  out  to  about  600  before  the  next  pullets 
started  to  lay,  and  he  cleared  $2,500  over  feed  and  hired 
help.     He  begins  about  August  to  kill  off  the  hens. 

The  total  egg  yield  for  1909  was  86,519.  The  yield  for 
the  following  year  up  to  October  first,  was  90,870.  The 
total  receipts  of  the  farm  for  the  first  year  were  $6,493.31; 
the  last  year,  till  October  1st,  $5,235.48.  The  statement 
showed  that  the  receipts  for  eggs  and  poultry  and  the 
receipt  for  breeding  stock  and  eggs  for  hatching,  were 
about  equal.  The  flock  w^s  bred  along  utility  lines,  but 
he  has  some  show  birds  and  occasionally  gets  a  good  price 
for  them. 

The  highest  price  received  for  market  eggs  was  5Sc, 
and  the  lowest  18  cents  per  dozen. 


The  best  month  in  egg  yield  during  the  first  year  was 
March;  the  poorest  November.  The  second  year  the  April 
yield  slightly  exceeded  that  for  March.  While  this  agrees 
with  conditions  in  the  cold  eastern  states,  I  should  expect 
were  the  figures  obtainable,  that  there  would  be  a  higher 
percentage  production  here  in  the  winter  months  than  in 
the  cold  states,  due  to  a  more  favorable  winter  climate. 

The  eggs  were  sold  to  retail  dealers,  though  quite  a 
number  were  sold  for  incubation  purposes  at  $6  per  hun- 
dred. He  has  secured  as  high  as  $25  for  a  breeding  cock- 
erel, though  he  makes  no  specialty  of  breeding  fancy  stuff. 

Style  of  Houses  Used 

I  want  to  call  special  attention  to  the  style  of  houses 
used  on  this  place.  The  houses  show  that  Mr.  Weaver 
has  also  learned  the  importance  of  fresh  air  in  the  egg  bus- 
iness. The  photographs  herewith  show  his  style  of  house. 
There  were  two  houses  of  this  kind  on  the  place,  each 
200  feet  by  12  feet.  It  is  4  feet  high  at  back,  8  feet  at  cen- 
ter and  6  feet  at  front.  The  front  is  entirely  open,  as  will 
be  seen.  The  house  is  very  cheaply  constructed.  Includ- 
ing the  fencing  for  yards  and  water  pipe,  the  cost  was- 
about  $360.  The  rafters  are  of  2x3-inch  stuff  placed  2]/^- 
feet  apart.  On  the  top  of  the  rafters  two-inch  wire  net- 
ting is  placed  and  this  is  covered  with  sanded  roofing 
paper.  The  house  is  divided  into  ten  sections,  making- 
each  section  20  feet  wide.  For  each  section  there  is  a 
yard  50  feet  long.  Sixty  to  seventy  hens  are  kept  in  each 
section.  There  are  three  perches  at  back  of  house,  made 
of  lx2^-inch  material.  Underneath  the  perches  there  is  a> 
platform  to  catch  the  droppings,  but  there  is  no  floor.  The 
house  is  set  on  a  cement  wall.  There  is  a  tight  board  par- 
tition between  each  section. 

During  the  first  visit  I  made  to  the  place,  which  was- 
about  the  end  of  February,  308  eggs  were  gathered  in  the- 
house  shown  in  illustration.  A  month  later,  on  anotheii 
visit,  I  helped  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Weaver  gather  326  eggs  from 
the  same  house,  containing  600  pullets,  and  took  the  pho- 
tograph of  the  buckets  of  eggs.  From  this  house  the  eggs 
are  all  marketed.  All  the  hatching  eggs  were  secured  in 
another  house,  in  which  yearling  hens  were  kept.  Mr. 
Weaver  believes  that  the  eggs  from  hens  produce  better 
chicks  than  those  from  pullets. 


STTLF:   of  houses   USED   ON   CALIFORNIA  POULTRY  FARMS 


Feeding  and  Housing  Leghorns  for  Profit 


Best  Methods  aud  Rati 


ins  for  Growing  Chicks  from  Shell  to   Maturity,  for  Laying  and 
Breeding  Stock.     Honsing  and  Yards. 


IN  THE  October  and  Xovember,  1910,  issues  of  Amer- 
ican Poultry  World  a  most  valuable  and  interesting 
White  Leghorn  breeder's  symposium  appeared,  in 
which  many  of  the  practical  details  of  breeding  White 
Leghorns  for  market  were  discussed  by  experienced 
breeders  of  White  Leghorns. 

Among  these,  the  most  important  were  those  of  feeds 
and  the  methods  of  feeding  and  housing. 

The  answers  to  this  symposium  were  received  from: 
H.  F.  Humphrey,  New  York;  J.  Courtney  Punderford, 
Monmouth  Poultry  Farm,  New  Jersey;  Huber  Bros.,  Wis- 
consin; Sands  &  Beilman  Poultry  Farm,  Pennsylvania;  N. 
V.  Fogg,  Kentucky;  F.  W.  Christie,  Wayne  Poultry  Farm, 
New  York;  A.  M.  Pollard,  Grandview  Poultry  Farm,  Con- 
necticut; H.  F.  Meister,  Missouri;  John  H.  Piper,  Ohio; 
R.  J.  Elliott,  Elliott  Poultry  Farm,  Ohio;  Geo.  B.  Ferris, 
Michigan;  Harlo  J.  Fiske,  New  York;  J.  LeRoy  Cunning- 
ham, Pennsylvania;  Frank  Neville,  Michigan;  S.  B.  and  E. 
W.  Twining,  Pennsylvania;  C.  M.  Walker,  Virginia;  F.  S. 
Nicholson,  New  York;  G.  L.  Wheeler,  New  York;  W.  R. 
Sperry.  Christy  Poultry  Farm,  New  York;  Turley  &  Sco- 
bee.   Kentucky. 

First — State  in  detail  the  best  ration  and  methods  for 
growing   White   Leghorn   chicks   from   shell   to  maturity. 

"Whole  grain  mixture  morning  and  evening  400  lbs. 
wheat,  200  lbs.  oats,  100  lbs.  corn.  Dry  mash  in  hoppers, 
100  lbs.  middlings,  SO  lbs.  bran,  50  lbs.  ground  oats.  Beef 
scrap  in  hoppers."  Frank  Neville. 

"Morning  of  third  day  feed  dry  wheat  bran,  keep 
same  always  before  them  after  the  third  day.  When  one 
week  old  feed  good  quality  commercial  chick  food  in 
litter  with  plenty  of  green  stufif  and  a  feed  of  fine  ground 
fresh  beef  once  or  twice  a  week  after  the  second  week. 
Keep  all  water  vessels  clean  with  fresh  water  always  be- 
fore them  after  the  first  feed.  After  eight  weeks  feed  same 
as  laying  stock."  Huber  Bros. 

"When  twenty-four  to  thirty-six  hours  old  feed  with 
johnny  cake  made  with  excelsior  meal.  Feed  this  for  two 
days  about  six  times  a  day,  then  alternate  feedings  with 


Feeding  Time  at  Pine  Park   Poultry    Fiirm, 


a  good  commercial  chick  food.  Our  method  of  preparing 
excelsior  meal  is  20  lbs.  corn  meal,  15  lbs.  ground  oat^, 
10  lbs.  ground  barley,  10  lbs.  wheat  bran.  At  five  days 
keep  dry  mash  before  them  all  the  time,  excelsior  meal 
with  5  per  cent  beef  scrap  added.  Plenty  of  green  stuff, 
grit  and  fresh  water  all  the  time.  At  six  weeks  we  use 
larger  grain  ration  and  change  mash  mix.  Grain  mix  at 
this  time  is  60  per  cent  wheat,  IS  per  cent  cracked  corn, 
10  per  cent  hulled  oats,  15  per  cent  kaffir  corn.  Mash  mix 
is  35  per  cent  wheat  middlings,  30  per  cent  wheat  bran, 
IS  per  cent  ground  oats,  20  per  cent  corn  meal,  add  one- 
tenth  of  bulk  of  good  beef  scrap,  also  can  add  one-fourth 
bulk  shredded  alfalfa  in  case  of  shortage  of  green  stuff. 
It  is  easy  matter  to  sprout  oats  which  are  good  for  early 
chicks,  later  chicks  should  have  grass  runs.  We  prefer 
raising  all  chicks  in  brooders.  Keep  everything  clean, 
disinfect  occasionally."  Sands  &  Beilman  Poultry  Farm. 
"The  first  feed  is  grit,  then  I  start  in  with  a  prepared 
chick  food  which  I  continue  until  they  are  about  three 
weeks  old,  when  T  mix  in  some  fine  cracked  corn  and 
wheat,  .^fter  they  are  old  enough  to  leave  the  brooders 
I  put  them  in  colony  houses  and  give  them  free  ran^'e 
and  feed  them  twice  a  day,  whole  wheat  and  cracked 
corn  with  some  whole  oats."  H.  F.  Meister. 

"Start  with  some  good  chick  food  and  bran  always 
before  them.  As  soon  as  possible  put  them  on  cracked 
corn  (fine)  and  cracked  wheat.  When  on  free  range  feed 
regular  cracked  corn  and  whole  wheat  and  a  balanced 
dry  mash.  Plenty  of  fresh  water  and  clean  colonies  and 
entirely  free  range  will  produce  the  best  of  youngsters." 
J.  C.  Punderford. 

"First  ten  days,  (wheat  bran,  dry)  fine  ground  wheat 
and  corn,  broken  rice  and  a  little  millet.  From  ten  days 
on,  cracked  corn  and  wheat,  2-3  corn,  1-3  wheat  for  grain; 
mash  of  3  parts  bran,  1  each  of  ground  wheat  and  corn. 
Green  bone  three  times  a  week."  J.  LeRoy  Cunningham. 
"Cracked  oats  at  first.  Bran  and  meal  always  before 
them  after  one  week,  commercial  chick  food  taking  place 
of  oat  meal.  Then  to  wheat  aud  cracked  corn.  Beef  scrap 
fed  occasionally.  Pure  water  always.  Free  range  if  pos- 
sible."    C.  M.  Walker. 

"Do  not  feed  for  forty-eight  hours,  then  a  good  chick 

food  until  eight  weeks  old.     After  that  equal  parts  good, 

clean,  white  cracked  corn,  white  wheat,  and  oats  until  four 

months.     After    that    plenty    of  beef 

scraps."    Harlo  J.   Fiske. 

"Commercial  chick  food  first  week, 
then  wheat,  hulled  oats  and  a  mash  of 
equal  parts  bran,  corn  meal  and  mid- 
dlings. Good  grass  range  and  plenty 
of  clean,  fresh  water."  S.  B.  &  E.  W. 
Twining. 

"We  feed  a  prepared  food  from  the 
shell,  with  beef  scraps,  oyster  shell 
und  grit.  Plenty  of  green  food  after 
they  are  ten  days  old."  Turley  & 
Scobee. 

"Corn,  oats  and  wheat  in  some 
form.  Animal  and  vegetable  foods. 
Both  wet  and  dry  mashes  and  John- 
ny cake.  We  have  come  to  the  con- 
clusion that  many  people  do  not  feed 
variety  enough.  We  find  that  animal 
and  vegetable  foods  are  as  essential 
for  rapid  growth  as  are  the  grains. 
The  more  they  will  eat  of  the  proper 
kinds  of  food,  the  faster  they  will 
L;row."    W.   R.  Sperry. 

"First,  good  vigorous  breeding 
>tock;  second,  well  hatched  chicks; 
third,  a  good  chick  food  for  first  two 
months,  a  good  dry  floor  with  plenty 
of  nice  clean  fine  litter  to  scratch  in, 
a  careful  feeder  who  will  give  enough, 
Init  will  not  overfeed  and  will  keep 
them  busy.     A  grass  run  is  an  advan- 


134 


THE   LEGHORNS 


135 


tage.  After  two  months,  a  dry  mash  before  them  all  of 
the  time,  grain  feed  twice  a  day.  Later  one  of  these  grain 
feeds  is  dropped."     F.  S.  Nicholson. 

"After  the  chicks  are  hatched  they  should  not  be 
given  anything  to  eat  until  they  are  forty-eight  hours  old. 
Then  they  should  receive  a  drink  of  water  and  their  first 
food.  This  should  consist  of  a  hard  boiled  egg  and  some 
dry  bread  crumbs,  crushed  very  fine,  slightly  moistened  with 
a  little  boiled  milk.  Continue  with  this  feeding  for  two 
or  three  days,  then  begin  feeding  a  little  chick  food.  Feed 
the  chick  food  four  or  five  times  a  day,  feeding  only  a 
small  quantity  at  a  time.  Start  weaning  the  chicks  when 
they  are  two  weeks  old  by  adding  to  the  chick  food 
cracked  wheat,  cracked  corn  and  hulled  oats.  Feed  all 
grain  in  litter.  When  they  are  five  weeks  old  start  feed- 
ing a  mash  consisting  of  the  following  ground  grains — 
equal  parts  wheat,  bran,  wheat  middlings,  ground  oats 
and  corn  meal.  This  should  be  moistened  with  milk 
and  fed  very,  very  dry,  the  mash  to  be  fed  in  the  after- 
noon in  small  troughs.  Keep  clean  water,  fine  charcoal, 
fine  beef  scraps  and  grit  or  sand  before  the  chicks  at  all 
times.  If  the  chicks  are  not  on  a  grass  run,  give  them 
plenty  of  green  stuff,  cabbage,  lettuce,  onion  tops,  rye 
blades  or  clover  cut  very  fine  make  good  substitutes.  Give 
the  chicks  lots  of  room,  never  crowd  them  and  keep  their 
quarters  absolutely  clean.  When  the  chicks  are  about 
eight  to  ten  weeks  old,  put  them  in  colony  houses  on 
free  range."     F.  W.  Christie. 

"We  use  the  hot  air,  indoor  brooder  system  with  in- 
door pen  5  ft.  X  10  ft.  and  outdoor  yard  S  ft.  x  50  ft.  for 
each  brooder  section  of  75  chicks.  As  soon  as  weather 
permits  chicks  are  placed  in  colony  houses  6  ft.  x  10  ft. 
with  free  orchard  range.  Our  first  feed  is  charcoal  for  a 
bowel  regulator,  after  which  we  feed  a  high  grade  mixed 
chick  food,  an  abundance  of  green  food,  keeping  fresh 
water,  charcoal  and  grit  before  them  continuously.  As 
chicks  mature,  we  change  chick  food  to  cracked  corn  and 
wheat,  feeding  a  limited  amount  of  green  bone  and  beef 
scrap.  With  a  small  gasoline  engine  we  grind  our  own 
food  and  have  thus  cheapened  the  ration."     R.  J.  Elliott. 

"Feed  nothing  for  forty-eight  hours  after  hatching, 
then  scatter  in  litter  small  amount  of  commercial  chick 
food,  gradually  increasing  the  amount  till  the  chicks  have 
all  they  will  eat  up  clean  five  times  a  day  for  two  weeks, 
then  three  times  a  day,  keeping  before  them  all  the  tirne 
a  clean  dish  filled  with  prepared  growing  food.  At  six 
weeks  of  age  the  chicks  may  be  weaned  from  the  chick 
food,  and  fed  intermediate  chick  food;  at  eight  weeks  old 
the  prepared  scratch  food  may  be  substituted  for  the  in- 
termediate. When  pullets  begin  to  show  signs  of  getting 
ready  to  lay,  add  prepared  dry  mash  to  their  ration  and 
continue  with  the  scratch  food  and  dry  mash.  By  follow- 
ing this  system  you  will  produce  wonderful  layers,  and 
your  birds  will  be  in  the  best  possible  condition."  A.  M. 
Pollard. 

"I  use  chick  food  for  the  first  six  weeks,  also  keep 
beef  scrap,  grit  and  charcoal  before  them  after  they  are 
six  days  old.  I  scatter  a  little  grit  and  charcoal  on  the 
floor  in  the  brooder  from  the  first  until  they  learn  to  eat 
it  from  boxes.  From  six  to  ten  weeks  old  I  feed  equal 
parts  cracked  corn  and  wheat  and  from  ten  weeks  old  to 
maturity  I  feed  10  parts  wheat,  8  parts  cracked  corn  and 
3  parts  oats.  Green  bone  is  used  for  meat  food  after  they 
are  four  months  old  instead  of  beef  scrap.  We  raise  all 
our  young  birds  on  free  range  in  colony  houses  8  ft.  x  10 
ft.  Only  feed  twice  per  day  after  they  get  out  on  free 
range  and  give  most  of  the  food  at  night."  N.  V.  Fogg. 

"Our  chicks  always  have  free  range  after  they  are 
two  or  three  weeks  old  and  have  usually  been  kept  in  col- 
ony houses  most  of  the  time  until  this  age,  and  fed  on 
bread  crumbs,  hard  boiled  eggs,  and  commercial  chick  food 
two  or  three  times  a  week.  Then  we  give  wheat  screen- 
ings fed  in  alfalfa  cut  fine.  After  they  are  put  out  on 
range,  we  use  feeders  with  wheat  principally  for  grain 
food  and  they  always  grow  healthy  strong  birds." 
G.  L.  Wheeler. 

"The  ration  I  feed  my  Leghorns  when  first  hatched 
is  sand  the  first  twenty-four  hours  and  the  yolks  of  hard 
boiled  eggs  up  to  forty-eight  hours.  Then  give  them  oat 
meal  and  bread  crumbs,  later  barley  and  ground  wheat 
or  cracked  wheat  fv-r  four  weeks,  when  they  will  be  able 
to  eat  whole  wheat  which   is   my   standby,  together  with 


young   clover,   sprouted   oats  and   alfalfa   and   bran   damp- 
ened with  milk."     John  H.  Piper. 

"First  two  weeks  chick  food  and  Spratts,  with  beef 
scraps  and  green  food  always  before  them.  Cracked  corn, 
wheat,  buckwheat  and  oats  should  be  added  to  ration 
after  two  weeks."     Geo.  B.  Ferris. 

"I  get  the  best  results  by  feeding  Spratts  chick  meal 
from  shell  to  maturity,  mixed  with  equal  parts  of  sifted 
ground  oats  and  wheat  bran,  also  feed  whole  corn,  wheat 
and  oats,  with  all  the  side  dishes,  including  meat  scraps, 
charcoal,  grit  and  green  stuff."     H.  E.  Humphrey. 

Second — State  in  detail  best  ration,  care  and  man- 
agement for  White   Leghorn  laying  and  breeding  stock. 

"Too  long  an  answer  to  tell  properly  here.  Base  of 
our  feed  is  wheat,  cracked  corn,  buckwheat,  hulled  oats 
with  bran,  corn  meal  and  middlings  and  beef  scrap  in 
mash.  Lots  of  cut  clover  hay  or  alfalfa."  S.  B.  &  E.  W. 
Twining. 

"Ration: — Morning,  very  light  feed  of  grain  (2  parts 
cracked  corn,  1  part  wheat,  1  part  oats)  scattered  in  deep 
litter.  Dry  mash  before  them  after  2  P.  M.  only.  Night 
feed,  same  grains  in  same  proportions  as  morning  feed, 
fed  liberally.  Oyster  shell,  beef  scraps,  charcoal,  grit  and 
good  pure  water  before  them  all  the  time;  also  cut  clover 
in  hoppers  before  them  at  all  times  in.  winter,  also  for 
fowls  not  on  free  range  in  summer.  Care,  deep  litter 
provided  once  a  month,  drop  boards  cleaned  every  day 
without  fail,  nest  material  changed  every  two  weeks,  oil 
roosts  every  two  weeks,  sprinkle  lice  powder  in  nests 
when  nest  material  is  changed."     A.  M.  Pollard. 

"For  breeding  stock  I  use  10  parts  wheat,  7  parts 
cracked  corn  and  3  parts  oats.  This  food  is  fed  in  litter 
morning  and  night  and  green  food  and  bone  at  noon. 
For  layers,  we  use  the  grain  mentioned  above  in  litter 
morning  and  night.  Feed  green  food  at  11  A.  M.  and  a 
mash  at  2  P.  M.  containing  the  following:  10  parts  wheat 
bran,  5  parts  ground  oats,  1  part  wheat  middlings,  3  parts 
corn  meal  and  about  17  parts  green  bone."     N.  V.  Fogg. 

"During  the  winter  months  our  feed  consists  of  a 
warm  morning  mash  of  equal  parts  of  ground  oats,  corn 
and  wheat  bran,  a  noon  feed  in  litter  of  a  mixed  feed  of 
oats,  wheat,  buckwheat  and  sunflower  seed,  and  a  night 
feed  of  chopped  corn.  As  the  weather  warms,  the  warm 
mash  is  done  away  with  and  oats  and  wheat  fed  in  place 
of  the  corn.  We  feed  plenty  of  cabbage,  rutabagas,  etc., 
and  feed  ground  green  bone  three  times  a  week."  R.  J. 
Elliott. 

"Spratts  food  mixed  with  equal  parts  of  ground  oats 
and  wheat  bran  every  other  day.  I  think  wheat  the  best 
egg  producing  grain,  with  a  little  corn  and  oats.  Pure 
water  three  times  a  day  and  always  cleanliness,  which  is 
'next  to  Godliness.'"     H.   E.   Humphrey. 

"Morning  feed:  Corn,  wheat,  buckwheat.  Afternoon: 
Spratts  food  mixed  with  bran  and  cornmeal  with  beef 
scraps.  Oats  constantly  before  them.  Feed  liberally,  but 
make  them  take  plenty  of  exercise."     Geo.   B.   Ferris. 

"As  our  breeders  have  free  range,  we  have  to  provide 
only  grain,  which  is  principally  wheat,  and  surely  this  is 
nature's  conditioner  for  healthy  stock."  G.  L.  Wheeler. 
"Ration,  winter:  Whole  grains,  wheat,  cracked  corn 
(2  parts),  white  oats,  barley  and  buckwheat.  Ground 
grains  for  making  mash:  wheat  bran,  wheat  middlings, 
corn  meal,  ground  oats  and  linseed  meal,  (old  process). 
Green  food:  cabbage,  mangels,  alfalfa,  clover.  Animal 
food:  beef  scrap  and  ground  bone.  Keep  the  scratching 
sheds  littered  with  clean  rye  or  oat  straw  6  inches  deep. 
"The  first  thing  the  birds  should  receive  in  the  morn- 
ing after  they  come  off  the  roost,  is  a  drink  of  warm  water, 
this  to  be  followed  up  immediately  with  a  feeding  of 
hard  grain,  two  handfuls  for  each  bird,  or  if  you  choose, 
the  hard  grains  may  be  fed  in  the  evening  after  the 
fowls  go  to  roost.  At  10  A.  M.  give  each  pen  a  head  of 
cabbage  or  two  or  three  mangels;  split  the  mangels  in 
two.  At  11  A.  M.  give  the  birds  another  drink  of  clean, 
warm  water.  At  2:30  P.  M.  start  feeding  the  mash,  to 
every  four  quarts  of  mash  used,  steam  one  quart  of  alfalfa 
or  clover,  and  add  to  the  mash.  Mix  very  dry  and  serve 
warm.  Keep  in  hoppers  before  the  birds  at  all  times, 
beef  scraps,  oyster  shell  and  grit.  Feed  ground  bone 
twice  a  week  if  you  can  procure  it  at  a  reasonable  figure. 


136 


THE  LEGHORNS 


the  litter  every 


Remove  droppings  every  day 
two  or  three  weeks. 

"Ration,  summer,  from  May  1st  to  October  1st:  Omit 
the  buckwheat  in  the  hard  grains  and  use  only  one  part 
corn.  In  the  mash  food  omit  the  linseed  meal  and  alfalfa 
•or  clover  and  mix  same  with  cool  water  or  skimmed  milk, 
ifeed  very  dry.  In  place  of  straw  in  the  scratching  sheds 
use  sand.  Feed  all  hard  grains  in  the  yards,  that  is  to 
say,  scatter  the  grain  around  the  yard.  For  green  food 
use  fresh  cut  clover  and  sprouted  oats.  Beef  scraps,  char- 
-coal  and  oyster  shell  and  grit  before  the  birds  all  the  time. 
Give  the  birds  cool  drink- 
ing water  twice  a  day. 
Plow  up  the  yards  every 
fall,  and  sow  to  rye  and 
clover.  Don't  allow  any 
birds  in  the  yards  until  the 
rye  is  five  inches  tall."  F. 
W.  Christie. 

■"Our  method  is  a  dry 
mash  always  before  them. 
During  the  cold  weather 
they  have  a  warm  mash 
about  10  o'clock,  a  light 
feed  of  grain  about  1 
o'clock,  and  a  heavy  feed 
of  grain  at  night,  enough 
so  there  will  be  some  left 
in  the  litter  for  morning. 
The  mash  used  is  some- 
what similar  to  that  used 
by  the  Maine  Experiment 
Station;  consider  oats  and 
corn  two  best  grains."  F. 
5.    Nicholson. 

'•'We  find  that  with  a 
'slight  variation  the  best 
'ration  for  laying  and  breed- 
ing stock  is  the  same  as 
for  chicks."     W.   R.  Sperry. 

"White  Leghorns  are  the 
easiest  chicks  in  the  world 
to  raise,  they  are  born 
hustlers  and  require  very 
little  attention.  We  feeil 
in  hoppers  during  the  sum- 
mer and  in  litter  after  they 
go  into  their  laying  quar- 
ters."    Turley   &  Scobee. 

"I  use  wheat,  corn  and 
oats  wholly,  with  plenty  of 
beef  scrap  and  green  food." 
Harlo  J.  Fiske. 

"Dry  Mash  before  them 
all  the  time.  100  lbs.  bran. 
100  lbs.  meal,  50  lbs.  mid- 
dlings. Beef  scrap  fed  by 
itself.  Wheat  in  litter  in 
morning,  cracked  corn  in 
litter  at  night.  If  penned, 
green  food  must  be  sup- 
plied. Pure  water.  Drop- 
pings removed  regularly." 
C.   M.   Walker. 

"Mash  composed  of  bran, 
ground  corn,  white  mid- 
dlings, ground  oats,  equal  parts,  fed  in  morning,  ^  the 
bulk  steamed  alfalfa  or  clover.  In  summer  clover  or  alfal- 
fa is  green.  Other  two  feeds  use  corn,  wheat,  buckwheat, 
barley  and  oats.  10  to  12  pounds  beets  to  each  100  hens. 
Green  bone  three  times  a  week,  omitting  grain  food  when 
we  feed  bone."    J.  LeRoy  Cunningham. 

"My  laying  stock  I  feed  a  mash  in  the  morning  com- 
posed of  oat  bran  middlings,  ,\  small  quantity  of  beef 
scrap.  I  feed  just  enough  so  they  will  eat  it  up  clean  in 
about  a  half  hour.  At  noon  I  feed  a  light  feed  of  whole 
wheat,   which   I   throw   in   deep   litter.     Late   in   afternoon 

1  give  another  feed  of  grain,  about   1   part  whole  wheat, 

2  parts  of  cracked  corn."    H.  F.  Meister. 

"Give  them  good  clean,  dry  quarters,  plenty  of  fresh 
water  and  all  the  fresh  green  stuff  you  can  in  case  fowls 
.are   yarded.     Dry   mash   before   them,   mixed   as   follows: 


GJfAND  CENTRAlFAimNeWYOEffBIL 


35  per  cent  wheat  middlings,  30  per  cent  wheat  bran,  35 
per  cent  cornmeal,  add  1-10  bulk  of  beef  scrap,  1-4  bulk 
alfalfa  shredded.  Shells  and  grit  before  them.  Charcoal 
also  is  a  good  thing.  We  occasionally  mix  some  fine  char- 
coal in  the  mash.  Grain  morning  and  night  of  following 
mixture:  Wheat  SO  per  cent,  cracked  corn  25  per  cent, 
oats  15  per  cent,  buckwheat  10  per  cent.  Feed  in  good 
litter," 

"Hatch  all  breeding  males  with  hens;  be  sure  all 
breeders  are  first-class  in  every  way.  Give  your  breeders 
the  best  of  everything  you  have  to  give,  free  range  if  pos- 
sible; fine  rt=ults  can  also 
be  had  with  yarded  fowls 
if  proper  care  is  given 
them."  Sands  &  Beilman 
Poultry  Farm. 

"For  layers,  morning 
feed,  different  whole  grains 
alternated  each  morning. 
Green  food  at  noon  and  a 
mash  at  night,  slightlv 
moistened  with  skimmed 
mlk  (heated)  .  Plenty  of 
fresh  water,  oyster  shell 
and  grit.  Mash  made  of 
different  ground  grains  and 
beef  scrap.  For  breeding 
stock,  same  as  above,  ex- 
cept dry  mash  instead  of 
moistened."  J.  C.  Punder- 
ford. 

"Grain  in  litter  in  morn- 
ing, evening  100  lbs.  of 
wheat,  25  lbs.  of  corn;  hop- 
per feed  oats,  bran  and 
beef  scrap;  at  noon,  finely 
cut  clover  steamed,  mixed 
with  middlings."  Frank 
Neville. 

"From  15  to  25  birds  in 
one  pen,  allowing  3  ft.  per 
bird,  4  is  better,  with  good 
ventilation,  no  drafts. 
Morning  feed,  good  com- 
mercial scratch  food;  noon, 
green  food,  such  as  cab- 
bage, mangels,  etc.;  night 
feed,  2-3  oats,  1-3  wheat, 
keeping  good  grade  com- 
mercial breakfast  mash  al- 
ways before  them  in  dry 
food  hoppers.  We  have 
found  the  above  the  cheap- 
est and  it  produces  eggs 
when  eggs  are  highest." 
Huber    Bros. 

Third  — What  kind  of 
houses  do  you  recommend 
for  White  Leghorns  and 
how  much  space  per  bird? 
"Open  air  houses  to  hold 
about  15  to  each  pen,  pen 
to  be  12x16  ft."  Harlo  J. 
Fiske. 

"Open     front,     6     square 
feet."     Turley  &  Scobee. 
about   S    square   feet   of   floor 


A  graceful  and  stylish  young  male,  with  fine  comb  an 
d  points,  well  furnished  tail  carried  at  the  proper  angli 
:  excellent  body  lines.  One  of  stars  of  the  White  Leghor 
5ses  exhibited  in  1911. 


"Fresh-air    hous 
space  per  bird."    W.  R.  Sperry. 

"Shed  roof  house,  5  ft.  in  back,  9  ft.  in  front,  16  ft. 
wide,  with  about  half  of  the  south  front  open.  4  square 
feet."     C.  M.  Walker, 

"Have  various  kinds.  Our  best  laying  flock  last  win- 
ter had  house  room  of  10x12  ft.  for  40  birds,  house  had 
opening  in  front  15  in.  high  and  about  two  thirds  the 
length  of  the  house.  This  was  closed  only  on  a  very  few 
occasions  when  the  wind  blew  a  storm  in,  or  it  was  extra 
cold.  Next  house  built  will  be  an  open  front."  F.  S. 
Nicholson. 

"Large  size  Tolman  house  for  breeding  stock,  100 
to  125  in  each  fiock.  For  layers,  partly  open  front  with 
curtains."   J.  LeRoy  Cunningham. 


THE  LEGHORNS 


13T 


"Scratching  shed  house  with  a  roosting  room  that 
can  be  closed.  Not  less  than  S  sq.  ft.  floor  space  per  bird." 
Geo.  B.  Ferris. 

"Good  warm  houses  with  open  fronts  have  proved 
satisfactory  with  me.  Allow  5  sq.  ft.  per  bird.  H.  E. 
Humphrey. 

'.'Continuous  houses  for  laying  birds,  25x12  ft.,  divided 
into  two  compartments,  one  as  a  scratching  shed,  the 
other  a  roosting  room.  For  breeding  birds  the  houses 
should  be  12  ft.xl2  ft.  All  windows  covered  with  muslin. 
Not  less  than  5  sq.  ft."    F.  W.  Christie. 

"I  have  been  using  the  oidinary  shed  roof  house 
here  in  Missouri,  but  I  expect  to  use  the  Wood's  open- 
front  house  hereafter.  I  allow  4  sq.  ft.  of  house  room  per 
bird."    H.  F.  Meister. 

"As  our  birds  are  kept  mainly  at  the  stock  barns 
on  different  parts  of  the  farm,  do  not  feel  competent  to 
say  just  how  much  space  a  hen  should  have."  G.  L. 
Wheeler. 

"Open-front  houses.  Our  houses  are  110  ft.  long, 
divided  into  five  pens  IS  ft.  x  20  ft.  with  feed  roorn  10  ft. 
X  15  ft.  Two  windows  in  each  pen  and  one  curtain  3j4x 
10.  Give  the  fowls  about  4  sq.  ft."  Sands  &  Beilman 
Poultry  Farm. 

"Open-front  houses  and  about  1  square  foot  per  bird." 
J.  C.  Punderford. 

"Houses  16  ft.  X  100  ft.  for  500  to  a  flock.  Good  ven- 
tilation but  no  open  front."     S.  B.  &  E.  W.  Twining. 

"Open-air  type,  allowing  5  sq.  ft.  per  fowl."  Frank 
Neville. 

"We  use  both  the  continuous  breeding  and  colony 
house,  allowing  plenty  of  fresh  air,  but  use  curtain  front 
roosts  in  cold  weather."     R.  J.  Elliott. 

"For  layers,  a  house  any  length  desired  and  from  16 
ft.  to  18  ft.  deep,  with  partitions  every  9  or  10  ft.,  will 
give  good  results.  For  layers  I  allow  from  3  to  4  sq.  ft. 
space  per  bird.  I  use  houses  10  ft.  x  12  ft.  for  1  male 
and  12  females  for  breeders."     N.  V.  Fogg. 

"My  houses  are  14  ft.  square  for  scratching  room,  7 
ft.  X  12  ft.  for  roosting,  with  a  7  ft.  x  7  ft.  scratching  room. 
This  accommodates  IS  females  and  1  male  bird."  John 
H.  Piper. 

"Wooden  structure  with  alternate  glass  and  muslin 
windows,  the  muslin  windows  to  be  open  by  day  and 
closed  at  night  in  severe  weather."     A.  M.  Pollard. 

Fourth — What  kind  of  yards  and  how  much  space 
per  bird? 


"Yards  small,  50x75  ft.  «or  100  head."  J.  Leroy  Cuiv- 
ningham. 

"Yards  100  ft.  long  and  as  wide  as  pens  inside.  For 
laying  stock  free  range  if  possible."    J.  C.  Punderford. 

"Two  yards  of  one  acre  each  used  so  as  to  keep  sweet 
and  have  grass  in  one  all  the  time.  Grow  corn  in  the 
other  each  summer,  which  produces  a  crop  and  gives, 
shade  in  hot  weather."    S.  B.  &  E.  W.  Twining.  Uti 

"Yards  are  27  ft.  wide  by  125  ft.  long,  with  plenty' 
of  shade.  Yards  and  house  room  are  all  the  same  size, 
with  canvas  fronts  for  ventilation,  that  is,  from  scratching 
room  to  roosting  room,  with  top  ventilation  to  scratching 
room."    John  H.  Piper. 

"All  our  breeders  have  big  grassy  yards,  equal  to  free 
range.  I  do  not  think  the  size  of  yard  used  for  layensi 
has  anything  to  do  with  their  laying,  just  so  it  is  kept 
pure."    N.  V.  Fogg. 

"Our  breeding  yards  average  100  square  feet  to  the 
bird,  densely  covered  with  mature  plum  trees;  our  laying 
birds  have  free  orchard  range."     R.  J.  Elliott. 

"All  the  room  in  yards  you  can  give  them,  but  not 
less  in  any  numbers  than  30  sq.  ft.  Double  yards  if  pos- 
sible."    Sands  &  Beilman  Poultry  Farm. 

"The  larger  the  better — not  less  than  100  sq.  ft.  per 
bird.  Runs  back  and  front  of  houses  are  the  best."  F. 
W.  Christie. 

"We  have  never  yarded  our  Leghorns."  F.,  S. 
Nicholson. 

"Long  narrow  yards,  80  sq.  ft.  yard  room."  C.  M. 
Walker. 

"Free  range."   A.  M.  Pollard. 

"Yards  enclosed  with  5  ft.  fence,  allowing  300  sq.  ft. 
per  fowl."     Frank  Neville. 

"We  yard  our  birds  as  little  as  possible,  preferring 
to  give  them  all  the  range  possible."  W.  R.  Sperry. 

"30  ft.  X  100  ft.  for  each  100  birds  if  possible,  much 
less  just  as  satisfactory.  Our  fences  are  8  ft.  high." 
Huber  Bros. 

"Free  range."    Harlo  J.  Fiske. 

"Our  yards  are  SO  ft.  x  100  ft.  We  allow  about  15  to- 
20  sq.  ft.  per  bird."    Turley  &  Scobee. 

"I  usually  have  yards  of  one-eighth  of  an  acre  for  15 
birds."    H.  F.   Meister. 

"Wire  netting  6  ft.  high  and  all  the  space  you  can 
give   them."    H.    E.   Humphrey. 

"Large  enough  to  supply  them  with  grass  during  the 
summer."    Geo.  B.  Ferris. 


Feeding  For  Best  Results 


Correct  Feeding  of  Leghorn  Chicks  from  Shell  to  Market  as  Sqnab  Broilers,  or  to  Maturity  as  Layers 

and  Breeders.     What  to  Feed  and  How  to  Feed.     Balanced  Rations  of  Whole, 

Cracked  and  Ground  Grains  for  Special  Purposes. 


Editor's  Note;— Feeding  poultrv  for  profit  is  a  science  based  on  a  thorough  linowledge  of  the  conditions  favorable 
for  the  most  rapid  growth  of  the  chiclcen  from  the  day  it  is  hatched  until  it  reaches  the  market  or  laying  stage.  These 
conditions  are  exemplified  in  the  two  vital  factors  in  practical  poultry  raising,  viz:--the  foods  and  the  feeding.  The 
proper  blending  of  the  grains  in  the  daily  rations  can  only  h.,-  accomplished  Ijy  careful  experimenting  and  this  Involves 
years  of  patient  study  and  keen  observation  before  results  of  real  practical  value  are  obtained.  The  most  thorough  and 
comprehensive  feeding  tests  with  whole  grains,  dry  mashes  and  scratch  foods,  made  up  to  the  present  time  are  those 
conducted  by  Charles  E.  Adair  on  the  Cyphers  Company  Poultry  Farm.  Buffalo,  N.  Y.  The  results  obtained  from  the 
feeding  of  different  rations  to  growing  chickens  and  laying  hens,  as  well  as  the  gram  formulas  used  by  Mr  Adair  are 
reprinted  bv  permission  in  this  chapter,  in  a  somewhat  condensed  form,  from  the  latest  and  most  complete  bulletin  on. 
"Poultry  Foods  and  Feeding,"  written  by  Grant  M.   Curtis,   President  of  the  Cyphers  Incubator  Company. 


CHICKS  ought  not  be  fed  at  all  during  the  first  thirty- 
six  to  forty-eight  hours  after  they  are  hatched. 
This  is  true,  whether  they  are  hatched  under  a  hen 
or  in  an  incubator.  If  hatched  by  a  hen,  the  instinct  of 
the  hen  teaches  her  to  remain  on  the  nest  until  all  the 
chicks  are  out  of  the  shells  and  they  have  had  time  to  be- 
come thoroughly  dry.  If  your  chicks  are  hatched  in  an 
incubator,  leave  them  in  the  nursery  space  or  drawer  forty- 
eight  to  seventy-two  hours,  the  temperature  of  the  nursery 
to  be  held  at  about  98  degrees  the  first  day  and  at  95  de- 


grees the  second  day.  By  this  means  the  chicks  get  used 
to  the  95  degrees  and  when  two  days  old  will  be  'hardened" 
somewhat  and  ready  for  the  brooder  temperature.  Mean- 
time by  a  wise  provision  of  Nature,  all  the  food  that  each 
chick  needs  will  be  supplied  to  it  from  the  yolk  of  the 
parent  egg  that  in  the  latter  stages  of  the  development 
of  the  chick  embryo  is  enclosed  in  the  chick's  body. 

The  newly  hatched  chicks  should  not  be  fed  or 
watered  in  the  incubator.  When  they  are  thirty-six  to 
forty-eight  hours  old,  place  them  in   a  brooder  that  has 


138 


THE   LEGHORN'S 


been  heated  up  at  least  twenty-four  hours,  thus  making 
sure  of  its  being  dry  and  warm.  Have  the  hover-covered 
space  heated  to  95  degrees  before  the  chiclts  are  put  in, 
as  shown  by  a  trustworthy  thermometer,  the  bulb  of 
which  is  located  just  above  the  backs  of  the  chicks.  The 
chicks  will  raise  the  temperature  three  to  five  degrees 
when  all  are  under  the  hover,  but  do  not  attempt  to  lower 
the  heat  on  this  account.  Maintain  the  hover-s'pace  tem- 
perature at  as  near  95  degrees  as  you  can  the  first  week, 
gradually  dropping  to  90  degrees  by  the  fourteenth  day, 
and  to  80  degrees  by  the  twenty-first  day.  For  the  balance 
of  the  time  the  chicks  are  in  the  brooder,  run  the  hover- 
space  temperature  at  75  degrees.  These  temperatures  are 
for  the  hover-space  when  the  chicks  are  outside.  Always 
keep  the  hover-space  sufficiently  heated  so  that  the  chicks 
can  warm  up  quickly. 

The  First  Day 

After  the  chicks  have  been  in  their  new  "home"  an 
hour  or  two,  snug  and  warm  underneath  the  hover,  coax 
them  out  and  give  them  their  first  meal,  consisting  of  one- 
third  stale  bread,  one-third  rolled  oats  (or  oatmeal)  and 
one-third  hard-boiled  eggs,  using  shells  and  all  (infertile, 
mis-shapen,  soft-shelled,  thin-shelled  eggs  etc.)  mixed 
with  sweet  milk  if  you  have  it  to  spare,  otherwise  with 
water.  Mix  crumbly,  not  sloppy,  adding  a  little  chick- 
size  grit  or  sharp  sand  and  feed  all  the  chicks  will  eat 
at  each  meal.  Boil  the  eggs  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes, 
so  the  yolks  will  be  mealy.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  sprinkle 
a  small  quantity  of  chick-size  grit  of  clean,  sharp  sand  on 
the  nursery  food  after  it  is  spread  out  for  the  chicks  to 
eat.  Feed  five  times  during  the  day,  about  every  two  and 
a.  half  hours  from  7  A.  M.  to  5  P.  M.  in  late  winter  and 
early  spring.  As  the  season  advances  and  the  days  grow 
longer,  it  will  pay  to  give  the  chicks  their  first  feed  at  6 
or  6:30  A.  M.  Late  in  the  season  some  poultrymen  feed 
newly-hatched  chicks  six  times  a  day  while  they  are  on 
nursery  foods  entirely,  giving  the  first  feed  at  6  A.  M.  and 
the  last  one  at  5  P.  M.  Feed  all  that  the  chicks  will  eat 
up  clean  in  a  period  of  fifteen  to  twenty  minutes,  seeing 
to  it  without  fail,  that  the  smaller  and  weaker  ones  get 
their  fill.  Hard-boiled  eggs  may  be  omitted  from  this 
nursery  food,  or  pin-head  oats  can  be  substituted  for  the 
rolled  oats  or  oatmeal,  but  our  choice  for  best  results  is 
the  formula  as  given.  Stale  bread  can  be  obtained  at  any 
bakery,  the  usual  price  being  one  cent  per  pound.  If  you 
have  it  to  spare,  give  your  chicks  sweet  milk  (whole  or 
skimmed)  to  drink  the  first  week,  using  drinking  dishes 
that  will  keep  it  out  of  their  eyes.  If  the  milk  gets  into 
the  corners  of  the  chick's  eyes  it  will  ferment  there  and 
cause  sores.  Dishes  should  be  kept  clean  and  sweet  smell- 
ing. In  the  absence  of  milk,  use  fresh,  pure  water,  sup- 
plied in  chick-size  drinking  founts,  or  shallow  vessels 
arranged  so  that  the  chicks  can  not  get  wet  and  thereby 
become  chilled.  Dip  the  bills  of  a  few  chicks  in  the  water 
and  they  will  teach  the  others  to  diink.  For  use  on  Cy- 
phers Company  Poultry  Farm  we  buy  sweet  skimmed 
milk  at  the  rate  of  15  cents  pei  eight  gallons.  It  would 
be  cheap  at  25  cents  per  eight  gallon  can  as  compared 
with  water. 

CAUTION: — In  feeding  chicks  and  ducklings  for  best 
results,  make  sure,  first  to  last,  that  they  do  not  get  any 
musty  grain  or  sour  food  to  eat.  This  is  a  matter  of  vital 
importance.  Musty  grain  (musty  to  your  sense  of  smell) 
will  at  once  cause  bowel  disorder,  stunting  the  growth 
and  resulting  in  heavy  mortality.  Sour  food  is  even  more 
harmful.     It  will   cause   diarrhoea   in   little   chicks   within 


forty-eight  hours.  Do  not  feed  frozen  vegetables 
to  young  chicks — nor  to  adult  fowls.  Clean  all 
nursery  food  dishes  after  each  meal — also  scrape  the  feed- 
ing boards  and  dispose  of  the  leavings  beyond  the  reach 
of  the  chicks  or  ducklings.  Many  thousands  of  valuable 
chicks  are  lost  every  season  by  carelessness  in  feeding 
musty  grain  and  by  allowing  little  chicks  to  eat  various 
wet  mixtures  that  have  started  to  ferment  under  the 
action  of  the  sun's  rays.  Skim-milk  curd,  separated  from 
the  whey  and  pressed  dry,  is  a  valuable  food  for  young 
chicks,  after  they  reach  two  weeks  old,  but  we  advise  our 
customers  not  to  use  sour  milk  for  little  chicks.  Sour 
milk  at  best  is  a  troublesome  article  to  handle  and  it 
pays  better  to  use  all  milk  (whole  or  skimmed)  while 
sweet.  If  a  supply  of  milk  should  turn  sour,  convert  it 
into  curd,  discard  the  whey  and  feed  the  curd  sparingly 
by  itself  or  mix  it  with  ground-grain  mash  food  composed 
of 

30  lbs.  Corn  Meal 

10  lbs.  Red  Dog  Flour 
5  lbs.  Beef  Scrap 
5  lbs.  Bran 

10  lbs.  Cut  Clover  or  Alfalfa. 
Do  not  feed  first  sweet  milk  and  then  sour  milk,  as  this 
plan  is  almost  sure  to  result  in  serious  bowel  disorders. 
Mash  food  of  any  kind  that  is  fed  moist  (crumbly  wet) 
to  chicks  should  be  given  sparingly,  or  they  will  over-eat. 
This  is  equally  true  of  home-made  "chicken  cake"  and 
various  moist  or  wet  mixtures. 

The  Second  Day 

Feed  the  home-made  nursery  food  as  above  recom- 
mended, and  while  the  chicks  are  eating  this  food,  sprinkle 
upon  it  a  small  amount  of  high-grade  commercial  chick 
food  and  also  sprinkle  a  little  of  this  food  on  the  litter 
nearby  that  covers  the  biooder  or  runway  floor,  which  will 
start  the  chicks  picking  at  it  and  scratching  for  it.  A 
good  chick  food  can  be  prepared  with  the  following  in- 
gredients; 

30  lbs.  Crushed  or  Clipped  Wheat 
20  lbs.  Coarse  Corn  Meal 
10  lbs.  Hulled  Oats 
10  lbs.  Pinhead  Oat  Meal 
10  lbs.  Crushed  Kaffir  Corn 
5  lbs.   Cracked  Rice   (Split  Rice). 

To  this  six-grain,  well  granulated,  balanced-ration 
chick  food,  add  about  one  per  cent,  (by  measure),  of 
chick-size  grit,  mixing  thoroughly.  Feed  in  this  way  five 
times  daily,  the  same  as  on  the  first  day,  sprinkling  a 
little  of  the  chick  food  before  the  chicks  on  the  nursery 
food  at  each  meal  and  scattering  a  handful  in  the  litter 
nearby.  During  these  two  days,  after  each  feeding,  push 
the  chicks  back  under  the  hover  and  let  them  come  out 
later  on  of  their  own  accord,  one  or  two  at  a  time,  in 
which  case  they  will  know  enough,  as  a  rule,  to  go  back 
to  the  heat.  If  the  chicks  are  being  raised  in  a  brooder 
house,  be  sure  to  place  a  six  or  eight-inch  board  on  edge, 
about  a  foot  away  from  the  front  of  the  hover,  so  that  the 
chicks  will  be  kept  near  the  source  of  heat  and,  therefore, 
can  find  their  way  back  to  it.  In  the  limited  space  of  the 
brooding  chamber  of  a  separate  or  individual  brooder,  the 
use  of  a  "chick  guard"  during  the  first  two  or  three  days 
should  not  be  necessary,  unless  there  are  cold  corners 
where  the  chicks  are  liable  to  huddle  and  remain  away 
from  the  heat  until  they  become  chilled,  in  which  case  a 
si.x  or  eight-inch   guard  made   of  inch  or  half-inch   mesh 


THE   LEGHORNS 


139 


poultry  netting,  located  near  the  hover  curtain,  will  con- 
fine them  within  safe  limits.  Brooder  chicks  have  a  bad 
habit  of  huddling  and  dozing  in  the  sun's  rays  near  the 
window  and  of  moving  along  as  the  sun  spot  moves,  until 
the  spot  disappears,  then  they  are  liable  lo  remain  where 
they  are  instead  of  going  under  the  hover.  This  natural, 
but  dangerous  habit,  must  be  guarded  against  until  the 
little  chicks  learn  to  use  their  "foster  mother." 
Each  time  you  see  them  huddling  in  the  sun 
spot  during  the  early  days  of  their  brooder  life,  tuck  them 
underneath  the  hover,  where  they  can  sleep  in  safety. 
During  this  time  the  chicks  need  heat,  food,  drink,  rest 
and  sleep — and  the  rest  and  sleep  are  almost  as  helpful 
as  the  other  three  factors.  The  first  two  or  three  days 
there  is  no  better  place  for  the  chicks  to  spend  their  time 
"between  meals"  than  under  the  hover,  provided  this  space 
— their  sleeping  quarters — is  well  ventilated  and  free  from 
drafts. 

The  Third  Day 
Give  only  two  meals  of  the  nursery  food,  supplying  an 
increased  amount  of  dry,  granulated  chick  food,  which 
now  should  be  scatteied  broadcast  over  the  litter  and 
stirred  into  it.  Do  not  neglect  to  clean  the  drinking  dishes 
— especially  if  you  are  using  milk.  Pure,  fresh  water  is 
essential  to  chick  health  and  rapid  growth.  A  safe  rule 
is  to  rinse  out  the  drinking  dishes  at  each  feeding  and 
refill  them  with  fresh,  clean  water.  Keep  a  large  vessel 
of  water  near  at  hand  for  this  purpose.  Many  successful 
poultry  raisers  start  their  chicks  on  the  finely-granulated 
chick  food  and  do  not  give  them  any  form  of  nursery 
food,  but  we  use  the  nursery  food  on  Cyphers  Company 
Poultry  Farm,  as  here  recommended,  and  have  found  that 
it  pays  to  go  to  the  extra  trouble.  Another  successful 
plan,  if  the  caretaker  does  not  wish  to  bother  with  the 
nursery  food,  is  to  use  in  its  place  stale  bread  crumbs 
(not  musty),  merely  moistened  with  sweet  milk.  Feed 
the  same  as  directed  for  the  nursery  food. 

The  Fourth  Day 

Discontinue  the  nursery  food  and  use  chick  food  ex- 
clusively, feeding  it  by  the  deep-litter,  "scratch-to-live" 
method  as  hereinafter  described,  or  as  near  to  this  labor- 
saving,  health-promoting,  money-making  plan  as  you  can 
^ome,  depending  on  how  you  are  brooding  your  chicks. 
Beginning  on  the  fourth  day,  supply  the  chicks  all  the 
green  food  they  will  eat  and  continue  to  do  so  until  they 
are  ready  to  go  on  range  or  to  be  fattened  as  broilers, 
friers  or  roasting  chickens.  Start  the  green  food  sparing- 
ly, especially  if  it  is  new-grown  and  full  of  juice.  Early 
in  the  season  use  finely-cut  cured  alfalfa  or  clover.  Later 
on,  as  the  chicks  increase  in  size,  coarser  short-cut  alfalfa 
or  clover  can  be  used,  also  sprouted  oats,  garden  greens, 
short-cut  lawn  clippings,  etc.,  though  lawn  clippings  are 
liable  to  be  tough  and  less  satisfactory.  Lawn  grass 
should  be  cut  to  one-fourth  inch  lengths  for  small  chicks, 
or  it  may  pack  in  their  crops.  Lettuce  grows  bountifully 
in  limited  space  and  is  unexcelled  as  green  food  for  little 
chicks,  but  should  be  fed  sparingly  until  the  chicks  get 
used  to  it.  New  clover,  cut  when  the  plants  are  4  to  6 
inches  high,  then  chopped  or  put  through  a  clover  cutter, 
makes  a  fine  green  food  for  chicks  of  all  ages.  Tender 
beet  tops  are  good.  So  are  dwarf  Essex  rape.  Swiss  chard 
and  kale,  especially  if  fed  when  young  and  tender.  These 
greens  are  excellent  for  older  chicks  and  for  adult  fowls. 
Steam  all  alfalfa  or  clover  by  pouring  boiling  water  on 
it,  using  as  much  water  as  the  amount  of  alfalfa  will  take 
up  or  absorb.     Cover  the  vessel  and  allow  the  alfalfa  to 


cool,  then  feed  on  boards  or  in  shallow  dishes.  To  get 
young  chicks  to  eat  steamed  alfalfa  or  clover,  mix  to  a 
crumbly  mass  with  some  form  of  ground  grain,  such  as 
wheat  bran,  middlings,  ground  oats,  or  the  growing  mash 
given  to  chicks  on  the  first  day.  One  part  bran  and  one 
part  middlings,  or  one  part  of  each  of  the  three  ground 
grains,  mixed  with  once  or  twice  their  total  bulk  of  the 
steamed  alfalfa  will  make  an  appetizing  green  food  mash. 
Once  or  twice  a  day  feed  as  much  of  this  mixture  as  they 
will  eat  up  clean  before  leaving  it.  Other  green  food 
should  be  cut  up  fine  while  the  chicks  are  less  than  a 
week  old;  later  on,  they  can  pick  it  to  pieces  and  will 
benefit  by  the  exercise.  Chicks  are  greedy  for 
sprouted  oats  and  no  better  green  food  is  available 
early  in  the  season.  If  your  chicks  at  any  stage  of  their 
growth,  have  not  been  getting  green  food,  or  if  you  change 
the  kind  of  green  food  to  something  they  like  better,  be 
sure  to  begin  with  a  small  quantity  and  feed  sparingly  for 
two  or  three  days  until  they  get  used  to  it,  otherwise 
scours  and  more  serious  bowel  disorders  will  result. 

Fifth  ana  Sixth  Days 

Feed  the  same  as  on  the  fourth  day.  Unless  the  weather 
is  severe,  allow  the  chicks  to  run  outdoors  after  the  fourth 
day,  even  if  there  is  snow  or  ice  on  the  ground,  but  they 
must  be  taught  to  find  their  way  back  into  the  brooder 
house  or  brooder.  Extra  care  should  be  used  in  this 
connection  until  the  chicks  learn  to  go  to  the  heat  when 
they  need  it.  They  will  not  remain  out  of  doors  to  a 
harmful  extent  during  bad  weather — not  after  they  have 
learned  the  way  indoors.  Driving  them  in  half  a  dozen 
times,  doing  this  before  they  have  had  a  chance  to  get 
cold,  will  teach  them  the  way.  After  starting  the  deep- 
litter  method,  or  a  modification  of  it,  still  continue  to 
visit  the  young  chicks  two  or  three  times  daily  to  make 
sure  they  are  getting  along  all  right — that  they  have  not 
developed  the  habit  of  huddling  in  cold  corners  and  are 
not  bothered  by  enemies,  such  as  rats,  cats,  etc.  Newly 
hatched  chicks  entrusted  to  double-apai-tment  brooders 
should  be  taught  to  find  their  way  from  the  exercising 
apartment  to  the  warm  brooding  chamber,  to  keep  them 
from  huddling  in  cold  places.  They  learn  quickly.  Herd- 
ing them  two  or  three  times  from  the  exercising  apart- 
ment into  the  brooding  chamber  will  serve  the  purpose  in 
a  properly  constructed  brooder. 

The  Seventh  Day 

Discontinue  the  milk,  if  you  have  been  using  it  in 
place  of  water,  and  from  this  time  on  keep  an  ample 
supply  of  pure,  fresh  water  before  the  chicks  all  the  time. 
On  the  seventh  day  begin  giving  them  beef  scrap  in  small 
quantities,  feeding  it  in  a  hopper  to  prevent  waste,  or  on 
a  board  or  in  open  dishes.  At  the  start  an  ounce  or  so 
for  thirty  to  forty  chicks  fed  twice  daily  is  about  right  for 
healthy,  vigorous  chicks.  See  that  the  smaller  and  weak- 
er chicks  get  their  share.  Beginning  with  the  second  week 
—about  the  fourteenth  day — keep  beef  scrap  before  the 
chicks  in  a  self-feeding  hopper  all  the  time  and  let  them 
eat  what  they  want. 

If  chicks  are  hatched  late  in  the  season,  after  vegeta- 
tion gets  a  good  start,  and  are  on  range  (with  a  mother 
hen,  for  example),  where  they  can  get  a  goodly  supply 
each  day  of  worms,  bugs  and  insects  they  do  not  need 
other  "animal"  or  meat  food,  but  if  chicks  are  raised  in 
limited  quarters,  or  early  in  the  season,  it  is  necessary  to 
furnish  this  food  in  some  form,  and  unquestionably  a  good 
grade  of  commercial  beef  scrap  is  the  least  expensive  and 
most  convenient  way  to  meet  this  close-quarters  or  out- 


140 


THE   LEGHORNS 


of-season  requirement  of  chick  health  and  normal  growth, 
lit  simply  is  a  case  of  the  owner  or  caretaker  having  to 
•do  for  the  chicks  what  Nature  can  not  do  at  this  time  of 
:yezT,  or  under  conditions  imposed  by  the  poultryman. 
-Another  important  point  is  this:  Even  when  chicks  and 
<owls  have  quite  a  large  yard  or  space  in  which  to  range, 
ithey  are  very  liable  to  exhaust,  in  a  few  days,  the  limited 
supply  of  worms,  bugs,  etc.,  in  which  case  they  soon  show 
the  need  of  meat  food  in  some  other  form.  The  same 
is  true  of  what  might  be  called  the  natural  supply  of  grit 
and  shell-forming  materials.  To  give  a  dozen  or  more 
brood  hens  the  range  of  a  farm  is  one  thing;  to  raise  the 
.«ame  number  of  chicks  or  several  hundred  chicks  in  re- 
rstricted  quarters,  is  a  very  different  matter.  When  chicks 
are  raised  or  fowls  are  kept  in  confinement,  the  suc- 
cessful poultryman  finds  it  necessary  to  supply  the  green 
food,  meat  food,  grit  (chicken  "teeth")  and  shell-forming 
materials  that  the  birds  require  and  can  not  obtain  other- 
lyise. 

Sixth  Week 

Give  the  chicks  nothing  else  up  to  the  sixth  week, 
'except  charcoal.  Chicks  a  week  old  crave  charcoal,  and 
when  it  is  first  given  to  them  will  stand  at  the  hopper  and 
eat  until  white  chicks  look  black.  Charcoal  aids  digestion 
and  prevents  sour  crop  and  bowel  trouble.  The  safe  plan 
is  to  keep  chick-size  grit  and  chick-size  charcoal  before 
them  from  the  first,  supplying  both  in  a  self-feeding  wall 
hopper  to  prevent  waste.  Fed  in  this  way,  the  little  chicks 
can  begin  eating  finely-granulated  charcoal  when  they 
need  it  and  will  not  take  a  wasteful  amount. 

Remember,  that  if  best  results  are  to  be  secured, 
■young  chicks  must  not  be  overheated  or  allowed  to  chill. 
Both  cause  diarrhoea  and  expose  the  chicks  to  head  and 
lung  colds.  Fifty  to  seventy-five  per  cent  of  all  bowel 
trouble  in  young  chicks  comes  from  chilling  or  overheat- 
ing, and  most  of  the  other  cases  result  from  incorrect 
feeding.  The  day  of  the  self-regulating  brooder  and 
brooding  hover  is  here  to  stay.  Newly  hatched  chicks 
cannot  stand  being  exposed  to  changes  in  hover  temper- 
ature, ranging  from  ten  to  forty  degrees  in  as  many  hours, 
•which  often  will  be  the  case  if  the  brooding  hover  is  not 
self-regulated.  Even  when  self-regulating  brooders  are 
used  out-doors,  they  should  be  placed  in  the  shade,  other- 
wise the  temperature  on  warm,  sunshiny  days  will  go  be- 
yond the  danger  point — well  above  one  hundred  degrees 
for  example.  Do  not  try  to  raise  chicks  in  warm  weather 
without  shade.  Cloth  or  burlap  tacked  on  frames  or  nailed 
to  stakes  will  answer  early  in  the  season.  Later  on,  grow 
sunflowers  in  clumps  or  rows,  or  plant  corn  in  hills  and 
rows,  thus  allowing  the  air  to  circulate  freely  on  hot, 
sultry  days.  Be  sure  that  the  ground  of  an  out-door, 
small-space  chick  run  does  not  become  foul  from  too  long 
use  or  from  neglect.  If  yard  space  is  limited,  frequent 
spading  and  seeding  will  freshen  the  ground.  If  there  is 
room  to  do  so,  use  a  hand  or  horse  plow.  Seed  with  oats 
or  rye,  oats  preferred.  Where  yard  space  is  available, 
out-door  brooders  should  be  moved  to  new  ground  at  the 
end  of  each  two  or  three  weeks. 

Deep-Litter  Feeding  of  Chicks 

Ideal  deep-litter  feeding  of  young  chicks,  as  strongly 
recommended  by  us,  consists  in  using  eight  inches  of 
finely-cut  litter  in  the  coop,  house  or  indoor  runway  oc- 
cupied by  the  chicks,  but  the  plan  can  be  modified  for  use 
in  any  size  or  style  of  indoor  or  outdoor  brooder  by 
burying  chick  foods  in  two  to  four  inches  of  litter  on  the 
floor  of  the   brooding   chamber   or   exercising  apartment. 


and  this  modified  form  will  give  good  results,  though  not 
as  much  food  can  be  buried  at  one  time  in  the  shallow 
litter,  and  therefore,  the  saving  in  labor  is  not  so  great. 

Ideal  Form 

If  your  chicks  have  an  indoor  runway  or  exercising 
pen,  proceed  as  follows:  Cover  the  entire  floor  of  the  pen 
with  two  inches  of  good  litter,  short-cut  alfalfa  or  clover 
prefeired,  but  hay-mow  chaff,  cut  hay  or  straw  will  serve 
the  purpose.  Then  scatter  over  this  fifteen  pounds  of 
finely  granulated  chick  food,  next  repeat  with  two  inches 
more  of  litter,  then  fifteen  pounds  more  of  the  food,  until 
you  have  eight  inches  of  litter  and  sixty  pounds  of  food 
in  a  pen  that  is  meant  to  accommodate  fifty  chicks.  We 
do  not  advise  more  than  fifty  chicks  in  one  flock,  though 
seventy-five  can  be  kept  together  in  safety  during  the  first 
few  days.  This  supply  of  food  will  last  fifty  chicks  about 
six  weeks,  on  the  average,  together  with  the  beef  scrap 
and  green  food  that  is  to  be  supplied.  The  litter  need 
not  be  changed  during  the  six  weeks.  The  amount  of 
litter  here  recommended  will  remain  free  from  odor  a  much 
longer  period.  Five  or  six  inches  of  litter  for  chicks  up 
to  fourteen  weeks  of  age  will  give  as  good  results  as  eight 
inches,  except  that  you  will  have  to  feed  oftener.  The 
chicks  should  go  to  bed  with  full  crops.  If  in  doubt  about 
the  matter,  feel  of  their  crops  at  night  and  if  they  are  not 
well  filled,  put  some  more  food  in  the  litter. 

Modified  Form 

If  your  chicks  are  housed  in  a  brooder  used  out  of 
doors,  so  that  it  is  better  to  feed  them  inside  the  brooder, 
especially  while  they  are  small,  proceed  as  follows:  Cover 
the  floor  of  the  brooder  with  an  inch  or  two  of  finely-cut 
litter,  then  scatter  over  this  three  pounds  of  chick  food; 
next  add  another  inch  or  two  of  litter,  then  scatter  three 
pounds  more  of  the  chick  food  and  cover  this  with  a  lib- 
eral sprinkling  of  litter.  A  quart  of  chick  food  weighs  22 
ounces,  therefore,  three  quarts  weigh  about  four  pounds. 
The  larger  the  brooder  the  more  food  you  can  bury  in  the 
litter  at  each  feeding.  The  six  pounds  here  mentioned 
will  last  fifty  chicks  three  to  five  days,  the  time  shortening 
as  the  chicks  grow  older  and  eat  more.  Changing  the 
litter  once  a  week  is  often  enough  if  two  inches  of  litter 
are  used,  and  once  in  two  weeks  if  four  inches  are  used. 
If  individual  brooders — outdoor  or  indoor  pattern —  are 
used  indoors,  the  chicks  should  be  given  a  runway  out- 
side the  brooder,  in  which  case  the  feeding  should  be  done 
in  eight  inches  of  litter  placed  in  the  runway,  as  directed 
in  the  foregoing  paragraph.  Early  in  the  season  outdoor 
brooders  can  be  used  indoors  to  advantage,  especially  in 
the  case  of  newly-hatched  chicks,  but  the  chicks  should 
be  induced  to  exercise  freely  in  dry,  well-lighted,  fresh-air 
quarters  where  they  are  protected  from  the  drafts.  Making 
them  work  for  all  the  grain  food  they  get  to  eat,  is  the 
only  practical  way  to  compel  chicks  to  take  this  exercise 
while  they  are  kept  indoors.  The  same  urgent  need  for 
life-giving,  body-building  exercise  exists  when  chicks  have 
only  a  limited  outdoor  runway.  In  all  such  cases  we  must 
provide  enough  exercise  to  take  the  place  of  the  all-day- 
hunting  on  range  for  seeds,  bugs,  tender  green  shoots, 
etc.,  if  we  are  to  raise  profitable  numbers  of  healthy, 
vigorous,  large-framed,  well-feathered  chicks — the  kind 
that  grow  rapidly,  and  develop  into  prime  specimens  for 
any  use  to  which  we  may  decide  to  put  them.  To  chicks 
that  are  being  raised  in  outdoor  brooders  feed  the  beef 
scrap,  grit  and  charcoal  in  hoppers  or  open  dishes  placed 
in  exercising  apartment.  The  use  of  hoppers  will  prevent 
a  25  per  cent  waste. 


THE  LEGHORNS 


141 


The  difference  between  deep-litter  fed  and  hand-fed 
chicks  is  very  noticeable.  The  deep-litter  "scratch-to-live" 
chicks  have  longer  bodies,  sturdier  legs,  are  better  feath- 
ered, are  healthier  and  possess  greater  vitality.  They  are 
mostly  frame  and  muscle,  while  the  hand-fed  chicks,  to 
which  is  thrown  several  times  daily  all  the  food  they  will 
eat  in  a  few  minutes,  are  soft  in  flesh,  feather  out  too  fast 
for  the  growth  of  the  body,  are  inclined  to  be  inactive, 
seem  droopy  after  meals,  catch  cold  more  easily  and  de- 
velop bowel  trouble  more  often  than  is  the  case  with 
deep-litter  fed  chicks. 

For  a  period  of  six  years  we  have  tested  the  two 
methods  side  by  side  on  Cyphers  Company  Poultry  Farm, 
all  other  conditions  being  equal,  and  in  every  experiment 
the  advantage  has  been  clearly  in  favor  of  the  deep-litter 
feeding,  as  judged  by  the  greater  number  and  better  quali- 
ty of  chicks  raised,  without  considering  the  highly  im- 
portant saving  in  labor  and  food.  The  labor  item  is  re- 
duced fully  one-half  and,  surprising  as  it  may  seem,  there 
is  20  to  30  per  cent  saving  in  feed. 

Feeding  by  this  work-or-go-hungry  plan,  we  can  take 
six,  eight,  ten,  twelve,  fourteen  or  twenty-weeks-old  chicks 
and  by  special  fattening — a  simple  process  requiring  four- 
teen to  twenty-one  days'  time — can  secure  tweniy  to  twen- 
ty-five per  cent  more  weight  in  the  form  of  squab  broilers, 
broilers  or  roasters,  than  can  be  obtained  by  the  use  of 
hand-fed  chicks  of  equal  ages,  while  as  for  layers  and 
breeders,  in  which  size,  vitality  and  perfect  health  are  es- 
sential to  best  results,  the  hand-fed  chicks  are  not  in  the 
same  class  with  the  big-frame,  closely-feathered,  vigorous 
specimens  produced  by  the  busy-chick,  healthy-chick,  deep- 
litter  method.  The  principal  gain,  as  regards  heavier 
weights,  comes  from  the  larger  frames  that  can  take  on 
and  carry  more  meat,  but  additional  to  this  are  the  better 
health  and  extra  vigor  of  the  deep-litter-fed  chicks  which 
enable  them  to  digest  and  assimilate  more  food  during  the 
special  fattening  period. 

Right  Care  and  Correct  Feeding  to  Get  Largest  Possible 
Egg  Yield 

Layers,  as  the  word  is  used  here,  means  pullet-hens 
that  are  selected,  fed  and  handled  with  the  sole  object  of 
getting  the  largest  possible  egg  yield  per  layer  between 
the  date  on  which  each  pullet  lays  her  first  egg  in  mid-fall 
and  the  time  when  these  "forced"  egg  producers  start  to 
molt  as  yearling  hens  the  following  summer. 

In  breeding  and  handling  these  heavy-laying  pullet- 
hens  it  is  not  a  question  of  fertile  eggs,  or  of  parent  values 
to  be  transmitted  to  chicks,  because  the  eggs  laid  by  these 
birds  are  to  be  sold  for  table  use  and  they  will  "keep" 
longer  and  give  better  satisfaction  if  they  are  sterile  or 
"germless."  To  run  male  birds  with  layers  of  table  eggs 
is  a  waste  of  food,  room  and  labor — furthermore,  the  pul- 
lets and  hens  will  lay  more  eggs  in  a  given  length  of 
time,  other  conditions  being  the  same,  if  there  are  no 
males  with  them.  The  period  of  greatest  egg  production 
in  the  life  of  a  hen,  if  she  is  handled  right  with  this  object 
in  view,  is  between  the  ages  of  five  to  six  months,  when 
she  starts  laying  and  the  time,  ten  to  twelve  months  later, 
when  she  enters  her  first  molt.  Successful  egg-farmers 
aim  to  bring  the  pullets  "into  laying"  in  October  and 
November,  when  the  prices  for  new-laid  eggs  range  high- 
est on  account  of  the  natural  scarcity,  and  they  strive  to 
keep  them  laying  at  the  rate  of  forty  to  fifty  eggs  per  day 
from  each  one  hundred  layers  up  to  February  1st,  and  at 
the  rate  of  sixty  to  seventy-five  eggs  per  one  hundred 
hens  thereafter  until  molting  time.  First  to  last,  they  plan 
and  feed  with  the  object  of  forcing  from  these  layers  as 


many  eggs  as  possible  by  the  time  they  are  sixteen,  seven- 
teen or  eighteen  months  old,  depending  on  the  breed 
and  early  start  at  laying,  at  which  age,  when  they  are 
about  to  rrjolt  and  stop  laying,  the  owners  sell  them  as 
market  poultry,  either  live  or  dressed.  In  this  case  eggs 
are  the  one  thing  sought,  everything  else  being  sacrificed 
to  that  end,  but  generally  the  egg-farmer  is  able  to  sell 
the  laid-out-hen  for  as  much  as  it  cost  him  to  bring  her 
to  the  laying  period  the  summer  and  fall  before. 

To  insure  having  these  heavy  layers  at  work  during 
the  time  when  their  eggs  will  bring  the  highest  prices, 
hatch  the  chicks,  as  a  rule,  during  March,  April  or  May. 
June  hatched  chicks  (also  late  May  chicks)  can  be  brought 
to  laying  in  November,  before  the  severe  cold  weather  ar- 
rives, but  these  late-hatched  chicks  usually  will  require 
special  feeding  in  the  form  of  wet-mash  and  an  extra 
supply  of  green  food. 

Chicks  from  which  the  heavy  layers  are  to  be  obtained 
should  be  kept  on  deep  litter  and  made  to  work  for  all 
they  get  to  eat  in  the  form  of  cracked  or  whole  grain; 
Here  again  we  must  have  large  frames,  perfect  health  and 
great  constitutional  vigor,  if  our  "egg  machines"  are  to 
do  the  work  expected  of  them.  In  heavy  layers  we  re- 
quire long,  deep  bodies,  breed  and  size  considered,  so 
that  there  will  be  ample  room  fpr  the  vital  organs  and 
for  record  egg  production.  When  fourteen  weeks  old  the 
chicks  are  to  be  placed  on  range,  or  given  as  large  an 
out-door  runway  as  can  be  provided  conveniently.  It  is 
time  now  to  separate  the  sexes,  as  a  general  rule,  unless 
you  have  done  so  at  a  younger  age,  as  will  be  the  case 
if  you  are  handling  Leghorns  and  have  learned  the  ad- 
vantages of  disposing  of  the  surplus  cockerels  as  squab 
broilers,  or  as  pound  to  pound  and  a  half  broilers.  The 
young  pullets  will  do  much  better  if  yarded  by  themselves 
in  flocks  of  thirty  to  one  hundred,  depending  on  the  size 
of  the  yard  and  of  their  roosting  quarters. 

While  on  range,  prior  to  about  September  1st,  feed 
the  pullets  all  alike,  but  when  they  are  eighteen  to  twenty 
weeks  old,  cull  out  of  each  flock  any  small,  backward 
specimens,  place  these  under-sized  pullets  by  themselves 
and  proceed  to  "force"  them  by  feeding  one  or  two  meals 
each  day  of  wet  mash,  made  by  mixing  with  the  growing 
or  fattening  mashes  as  recommended  for  chicks  on  the 
first  day  with  water,  also  feeding  some  form  of  green 
food  that  is  rich  in  protein.  For  this  purpose  there  is 
nothing  else  so  good  as  short-cut  alfalfa.  One  meal  daily 
of  the  wet  mash  fed  at  the  noon  hour  will  answer  the 
purpose  as  a  rule,  but  if  the  pullets  are  extra  backward 
give  two  meals  in  mash  form  each  day.  The  object  is  to 
get  these  birds  to  eat  more  of  the  stronger  food — a  food 
that  is  fed  in  a  ground  or  pulverized  state,  of  which  oats 
and  meat  meal  form  a  prominent  part;  also  a  food  that 
is  eaten  by  the  chicks  in  such  shape  that  they  get  the  full 
balanced  ration,  which  is  not  the  case  when  whole  grain 
or  cracked  grain  is  fed  and  they  can  pick  out  what  they 
like  best  and  leave  the  rest  in  the  litter  or  hopper. 

Late-hatched  chicks — June  and  late  May  chicks — will 
need  to  be  "forced"  in  the  same  manner  if  they  are  to 
be  brought  to  laying  before  the  cold  weather  interferes. 
To  these  late  hatched  pullets  feed  one  or  two  meals  daily 
of  the  wet  mash,  as  above  directed,  and  be  extra  careful 
to  see  to  it  that  they  have  an  abundance  of  nourishing 
green  food — all  they  will  eat  of  it.  Bear  in  mind  that  in 
mid-summer  natural  vegetation  is  well  advanced,  has 
passed  the  tender,  appetizing  stage — which  is  one  of  the 
main  reasons  why  late-hatched  chicks  become  stunted  in 
growth  and  prove  inferior  to  chicks  that  are  hatched  at  a 


142 


THE   LEGHORNS 


time  when  natural  vegetation  is  in  the  best  form  for  their 
use.  Lack  of  tender  vegetation  and  summer  heat  form  a 
combination  that  is  too  much  for  young  chicks  to  combat 
successfully.  If  late-hatched  they  must  have  our  help, 
both  in  the  way  of  tender  green  food  in  ample  amount 
and  plenty  of  shade  to  protect  them  from  the  summer 
sun. 

Feeding  the  Layers 
Put  the  layer-pullets  into  winter  quarters  by  October 
1st  to   15th.   (we  name  this  period  as  an  average  for  the 
entire  country),  on  six  to  eight  inches  of  good  scratching 


STANQARD-SIZE    EGGS 


market,  where  smaller  eggs  are  discounted  in  price.  Pullet 
eggs  range  smaller  naturally  than  those  laid  by  mature 
hens  of  the  same  breed  or  variety,  but  individual  pullets  and 
hens  of  the  same  breed  and  flock  also  lay  eggs  that  vary  ten 
to  twenty  per  cent  in  size  and  weight;  therefore,  in  order 
to  develop  a  strain  that  will  produce  large-sized  eggs  on 
the  average,  all  persistent  layers  of  small  eggs  among  the 
breeders  should  be  discarded.  This  should  be  the  practice 
also  in  the  case  of  pullets  or  hens  that  lay  misshapen  eggs 
of  any  description. 

litter,  and  feed  as  follows:  For  the  morning  meal  use 
coarsely-granulated  scratching  food,  composed  of  the  fol- 
lowing grains: 

25  lbs.  Cracked  Corn 

40  lbs.  Wheat 

20  lbs.  Kaffir  Corn 

10  lbs.  Oats 
5  lbs.  Buckwheat 

54  lb.  Sunflower  Seed 
burying  it  deep  in  the  loose  litter.    At  noon  feed  a  lay- 
ing mash  prepared  as  follows: 

100  lbs.  Wheat  Bran 
40  lbs.  Corn  Meal 

40  lbs.  Middlings 
SO  lbs.  Beef  Scrap 

1-3  of  Bulk  of  Alfalfa 
3  lbs.  Salt 
mixed  to  a  crumbly  wet  state  with  cold  water.  To  this 
wet  mash,  before  feeding,  add  about  thirty  per  cent  of 
short-cut  alfalfa  or  clover,  also   five  per   cent  of  high 
protein  beef  scrap,  a  bit  of  salt  and  one  per  cent  of  fowl- 
size  grit,  mixing  thoroughly.     Percentages  are  by  meas- 
ure, not  by  weight.     Alfalfa  is  a  valuable   egg  food  and 
gives  the  desirable  rich  color  to  the  yolk.     The  alfalfa  or 
clover  should  be  steamed  before  using  by  having  boiling 
water  poured  on  it.     Pour  on  as  much  water  as  the  alfalfa 
or  clover  will  take  up  readily,  cover  the  vessel  and  allow 
the  contents  to  steam  until   luke  warm,  then  add  to  the 
mash.     It  is  a  good  plan  to  let  the  alfalfa  or  clover  steam 
over  night.     The  greener-looking  and  more  tender  it  is, 
the  better  the  fowls  will  like  it  and  they  can  not  eat  too 
much  of  this  food.     Alfalfa  will  soak  up  water  to  the  ex- 
tent  of   about   one-half   its   own   bulk.     Once   a   week   or 
oftener  add  one  per  cent  of  charcoal  to  the  mash. 


For   the   evening  meal   feed   scratching  food   again  in 

litter,  feeding  enough  so  that  there  will  be  some  left  for 

the   fowls  to   begin   on   in   the   early  morning  when   they 

come  off  the  roosts.     In  winter  time  feed  as  early  in  the 

morning  as   convenient   and   supply   the   evening  meal   at 

least  an  hour  before  dark,  giving  the  birds  enough  time 

to    fill    their    crops.      In    spring    and    summer    feed    the 

scratching  food  about  7  A.  M.  and  5  P.  M.     Shake  up  the 

litter  about  three  times  a  week  with  the  foot  or  a  fork  so 

the  grain  will  work  well  down  into  it  and  the  fowls  can 

move   it   to  good  advantage.     Keep   the   litter   dry.     If  it 

gets  wet  and  is  allowed  to  pack,  the  grain  is  liable  to 

become  musty.    In  scratching,  the  fowls  work  with  their 

heads    to    the    light    and    the    litter    will    need    to    be 

loosened   up   and   thrown   or   kicked   back   toward   the 

vvindows. 

Keep  the  laying  mash  before  the  heavy  layers  all 
the  time  in  hoppers,  also  a  constant  supply  of  high  pro- 
tein beef  scraps,  fowl-size  grit,  charcoal,  crushed  oyster 
shells.  Look  closely  after  the  supply  of  fresh,  clean 
water  and  be  vigilant  against  the  presence  of  lice  or 
mites. 

Amount  to  Feed  Layers 
For  each  layer  allow  three  ounces  of  the  scratching 
food  per  day,  or  eighteen  pounds  per  one  hun- 
dred layers  per  day,  feeding  one  and  one-half  ounces 
per  hen  at  the  morning  meal  and  the  same  quantity  for  the 
evening  meal.  A  quart  of  scratching  food  weighs  27  to  28 
ounces. 

Of  the  noon  feed,  consisting  of  the  laying  mash  that 
is  fed  crumbly-wet,  give  the  layers  of  any  breed  or  variety 
all  they  will  eat  up  clean  in  a  period  of  fifteen  to  twenty 
minutes.  Allow  about  a  pint  for  each  ten  fowls  at  the 
first  feeding  and  if  they  eat  this,  give  them  a  further  sup- 
ply, about  half  as  much  more.  Do  not  feed  more  than 
they  will  eat  up  clean.  Wet  mash  that  is  left  in  the 
troughs  or  dishes  over  night  is  liable  to  sour  and  it  is 
fatal  to  heavy  egg  production  to  allow  the  layers  to  eat 
sour  food  that  will  ferment  in  their  crops,  or  to  feed  them 
musty  or  damaged  grains  which  will  result  in  scours  and 


BELOAV   STANDARD  SIZE 

White  Leghorn  eggs  that  average  19  ounces  to  the  dozen 
would  grade  about  20  per  cent  lower  in  price  in  New  York 
City  and  other  central  markets  than  the  standard-size  eggs 
shown  above. 


other  bowel  disorders.  These  record  layers  must  be  kept 
in  prime  condition  if  they  are  to  yield  the  greatest  profit. 
Keep  the  laying  mash  and  beef  scrap  before  them  all  the 
time  (dry  form)  in  waste-proof  hoppers,  so  that  any  of 
the  birds  that  do  not  get  their  fill  each  day  of  the  wet 
mash  (including  birds  on  nests  at  noon  hour)  can  go  to 
the  hoppers  at  will  and  help  themselves  to  this  special  egg- 
forming  ration. 

Some  kind  of  animal  or  meat  food  is  absolutely  neces- 


THE  LEGHORNS 


143 


sary  to  a  heavy  winter  egg  yield  and  a  good  quality  of 
beef  scrap  is  by  far  the  most  economical  and  convenient 
form  in  which  to  supply  it.  Other  forms  in  common  use 
are  ground  or  cut  green  bone  and  chopped  or  ground 
fresh  meat.  Table  scraps  are  excellent,  but  very  limited 
in  supply.  Fowls  will  turn  away  from  beef  scrap  and  go 
fairly  wild  over  cut  green  bone  or  chopped  raw  meat,  but 
as  a  rule  these  ai  tides  are  costly,  when  the  labor  of  pre- 
paration is  included.  Tainted  green  bone  or  meat  must 
not  be  fed  to  poultry  on  any  excuse. 

Often  the  addition  of  animal  food,  such  as  beef  scrap, 
to  the  feeding  ration  of  layers  or  should-be  layers,  will  in- 
crease the  egg  yield  25  to  SO  per  cent  within  two  weeks 
time.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  caretaker  runs  out  of 
beef  scrap,  or  other  animal  food,  there  is  certain  to  be  a 
decrease  in  the  egg  supply  within  a  very  few  days.  In 
case  the  layers  have  been  without  animal  food  several 
days,  it  is  advisable  to  begin  refeeding  it  gradually,  other- 
wise they  are  sure  to  over-eat,  causing  bowel  trouble. 
Make  as  few  changes  as  possible  in  the  feeding  ration. 
Any  sudden  or  marked  change  will  at  once  cut  down  the 
egg  yield.  Feed  as  here  directed,  which  insures  variety, 
and  you  will  obtain  best  results.  All  persons  are  invited 
to  test  this  method  most  thoroughly,  in  competition  with 
any  other  successful  plan. 

The  thirty  per  cent  of  short-cut  alfalfa  that  is  added 
to  the  laying  mash  that  is  fed  n  crumbly-wet  form  will 
give  the  heavy  layers  all  the  winter  green  food  they 
actually  require,  but  still  they  will  greatly  relish  other 
green  food  in  the  form  of  mangel  wurzels,  sugar  beets, 
turnips,  carrots,  apples,  etc.  Cull  apples  are  first  class.  Be 
sure  to  feed  beets,  turnips,  etc.,  in  a  manner  to  induce 
exercise.  The  active  hen  is  the  happy  hen — the  kind  that 
sings  and  lays  the  eggs.  A  good  plan  is  to  cut  the  beets, 
turnips,  etc.,  in  halves  or  quarters  and  hang  up  by  use 
of  a  coarse  string  or  wire,  so  that  the  fowls  will  have  to 
reach  for  the  food  and  follow  it  as  it  swings  back  and 
forth.  Sprouted  oats  are  unexcelled  as  a  winter  green 
food  for  chicks  and  adult  fowls. 

While  the  pullet-hen  is  about  it  she  ought  to  produce 
a  standard  size  egg — an  egg  that  will  run  twenty-four 
to  twenty-five  ounces  to  the  dozen  in  fall  and  winter,  and 
27  to  28  ounces  to  the  dozen  during  the  spring  and 
early  summer.  In  order  to  produce  large-sized  eggs,  as 
well  as  lots  of  them,  she  must  be  big  in  frame  for  the 
breed,  deep-bodied,  in  the  best  of  health  and  possess  the 
constitutional  vigor  to  stand  the  strain  of  converting  the 
daily  supply  of  food  into  a  pile  of  eggs  which,  if  kept 
intact  for  the  year  of  her  greatest  performance,  would 
weigh  six  to  eight  times  more  than  she  does — a  truly 
remarkable,  but  oft-repeated  achievement  of  the  Leghorn 
breed  of  Standard-bred  domestic  fowls. 

Handling  Breeding  Stock 
It  is  from  the  breeders  that  you  want  fertile  eggs 
that  will  produce  large,  strong,  vigorous  chicks.  To  get 
chicks  of  this  kind  the  parent  stock  must  be  large-framed, 
strong  constitutionally  and  in  excellent  health.  In  order 
to  secure  parent  stock  of  this  quality  we  must  give  the 
birds  time  to  develop  normally  without  any  "forcing," 
must  house  them  in  comfortable,  sanitary  quarters,  must 
keep  them  busy  to  a  healthful  extent  and  must  supply 
them  with  the  food  elements  that  are  required  to  pro- 
duce bone,  sinew,  flesh  and  feathers  in  the  natural,  health- 
protecting  way. 

When  "on  range"  chicks  and  fowls,  especially  during 
the  spring,  summer  and  fall,  can  do  a  good  deal  to  help 
themselves — to  offset  any   neglect  of  the  owner  or  care- 


taker in  the  way  of  supplying  grit,  green  food,  shell-form- 
ing material,  etc.  These  free-range  chicks  and  adult  fowls 
also  find  for  themselves  a  healthful  variety  of  food  ele- 
ments in  the  form  of  waste  grain,  seeds,  wind-fall  fruit, 
etc.,  and  they  spend  hours  each  day,  hunting  for  animal 
food  in  the  shape  of  worms,  bugs  and  insects.  But  in  all 
cases  where  chicks  and  fowls  are  confined  indoors,  or  in 
limited  quarters,  it  is  necessary  for  the  caretaker  to  sup- 
ply the  various  food  elements  that  the  birds  can  not  find 
for  themselves,  including  shell-forming  material  and 
"chicken-teeth"  in  the  shape  of  hard,  sharp-edged  grit. 

In  the  first  place,  be  sure  that  the  breeders  are  housed 
in  clean,  dry,  comfortable  quarters,  especially  during  the 
cold,  stormy  months  of  each  year,  also  that  they  have  a 
reasonable  amount  of  outdoor  freedom  on  pleasant  days 
and  during  the  open  season — spring,  summer  and  fall.  Do 
not  fail  to  have  their  house  dry  and  the  roosting  space 
free  from  drafts  in  the  late  fall,  winter  and  early  spring. 

Do  your  best  to  give  the  breeder  liberal  yard  space 
with  grass,  rye,  oats  or  at  least  soft,  fresh,  clean  earth 
under-foot — also  shade  that  they  can  go  to  when  they 
need  it.  Poultry  manure  is  strong;  bare,  hard  ground  soon 
contaminates;  the  hot  sun  over-heats  the  blood,  and  when 
we  confine  valuable  breeders  in  small,  bare  yards  we  not 
only  interfere  with  egg  production,  but  seriously  endanger 
the  health,  vigor  and  lives  of  the  "foundation"  of  our 
entire  poultry  enterprise.  The  days  of  2x4  poultry  yards 
for  valuable  breeders  are  numbered,  because  the  public 
is  getting  thoroughly  tired  of  eggs  sold  for  hatching  that 
will  not  hatch,  and  of  buying  weakly  chicks.  For  shade, 
plant  corn  in  rows  or  sunflowers  along  the  fences  or  in 
clumps.  Better  still,  set  out  plum,  peach,  cherry  or  apple 
trees.  Plum  and  peach  trees  will  give  you  shade  the  third 
year,  cherry  trees  the  fourth  or  fifth  year,  and  apple  trees 
a  year  or  two  later,  depending  on  soil,  climate  and  variety. 

Raising  Big-Framed,  Healthy,  Vigorous  Breeders 

Chicks  that  are  to  be  developed  into  breeders  can  not 
be  handled  and  fed  to  better  advantage  than  by  the  deep- 
litter,  scratch-to-live  method.  Six  weeks  of  age  is  too 
early,  as  a  rule,  to  tell  which  of  these  chicks  you  wish  to 
reserve  as  breeders,  therefore  at  this  age  "wean"  them  to 
a  good  developing  food,  consisting  of 

30  lbs.  Wheat 

20  lbs.  Cracked  Corn  ' 

10  lbs.  Kafifir  Corn 

10  lbs.  Hulled  Oats 
until  they  are  fourteen  weeks  old,  then  turn  the  prospect- 
ive breeders  out  on  range,  placing  them  in  colony  houses 
or  large-sized  roosting  coops,  if  convenient,  and  continue 
to  give  developing  food,  keeping  the  growing  mash  and 
high-prctein  beef  scrap  before  them  in  hoppers  all  the 
time,  also  supplying  green  food,  grit,  charcoal  and  fresh, 
clean  water.  While  these  chicks  are  on  deep  litter,  allow 
them  to  run  outdoors  on  clean,  healthy  ground  and  be 
sure  that  they  have  plenty  of  shade. 

Do  not  feed  wet  mash  in  any  form  to  these  prospective 
breeders  during  the  growing  se.ason,  unless  some  of  them 
should  be  late-hatched  or  under-sized,  and  you  desire  to 
force  their  growth  somewhat.  As  a  rule,  however,  you 
are  not  in  a  hurry  with  their  growth,  nor  to  have  them 
come  into  laying.  We  want  big  frames,  according  to  the 
breed;  we  want  bodies  large  enough  to  contain  normal- 
sized,  healthy,  vigorous  organs,  but  we  have  eight  to  nine 
months  during  which  to  build  up  these  breeders— eight  or 
nine  months  from  May  1st  of  each  year,  for  example,  be- 
fore we  wish  to  have  the  well-matured  pullets  begin  lay- 


144 


THE   LEGHORNS 


ing  in  the  breeding  pens  the  following  January  and  Feb- 
ruary. Separate  the  sexes  at  fourteen  weeks  of  age,  if 
this  has  not  been  done  previously  in  picking  out  surplus 
cockerels  to  be  sold  as  squab  broilers,  broilers  or  friers; 
cull  out  all  cockerels  and  pullets  that  you  think  of  using 
or  selling  as  table  poultry  or  of  reserving  as  forced  layers, 
and  aim  to  give  the  prospective  breeders,  males  and  fe- 
males, the  safest  and  otherwise  best  quarters  that  you 
have  for  the  season's  crop  of  young  stock,  because  these 
birds  are,  or  should  be,  your  most  valuable  youngsters. 

Put  the  breeder-pullets  into  winter  quarters  during 
October,  on  the  average,  or  before  winter  weather  arrives, 
but  do  not  place  the  male  brids  with  them  until  shortly 
before  you  want  to  begin  using  eggs  for  hatching  pur- 
poses. These  winter  quarters  should  have  outdoor  run- 
ways for  use  on  pleasant  or  quiet  days.  On  stormy  days, 
especially  during  severe  cold  weather,  the  best  place  for 
the  breeders  is  indoors,  provided  the  houses  are  dry  and 
well    ventilated. 

From  this  time  on,  until  you  wish  to  start  the  heavy 
yield  of  eggs  to  be  used  for  hatching  purposes,  feed  as 
follows: 

Give  three  meals  daily  of  scratching  food  morning, 
noon  and  night,  at  the  rate  of  one  ounce  per  hen  each 
meal,  burying  this  dry-grain  balanced  ration  food  in  eight 
to  ten  inches  of  loose  litter.  Keep  before  the  fowls  in 
hoppers  all  the  time  the  growing  mash,  high-protein  beef 
scrap,  adult-size  grit  and  charcoal,  also  a  constant  supply 
of  fresh,  clean  water  and  once  daily — morning,  noon  or 
mid-afternoon— give  them  all  they  will  eat  of  a  green  food 
mash  made  up  of  nine  parts  steamed  short-cut  alfalfa  and 
one  to  two  parts  of  the  growing  mash,  using  enough  of 
the  latter  to  hold  this  crumbly-wet  food  together  so  the 
birds  will  pick  at  it.  Sprouted  oats  are  an  excellent  green 
food  for  these  prospective  breeders,  but  their  use  repre- 
sents more  labor  and  expense.  Handle  the  breeding  males 
in  practically  the  same  manner. 

To  stop  or  prevent  early  laying  by  the  breeders,  sim- 
ply move  them  from  one  house  or  pen  to  another,  repeat- 
ing this  if  necessary. 

Feeding  for  Fertile  Eggs 
Mate   your   breeding   pens   not   less    than    two   weeks 
before  you  wish  to  begin  setting  the  eggs  or  selling  them 
for  hatching  purposes.    Three  or  four  weeks  is  still  better 
unless  the  eggs  are  extra  valuable. 

Now  that  the  time  has  come  when  you  want  fertile 
eggs  and  lots  of  them,  feed  scratching  food  in  deep  litter 
twice  a  day,  morning  and  evening,  allowing  an  ounce  and 
a  half  (weighs  27  to  28  ounces  to  the  quart)  of  this  grain 
food  per  hen  at  each  meal  and  give  the  breeders  a  noon 
meal  of  crumbly-wet  mash,  consisting  of 

20  lbs.  Red  Dog  Flour 

20  lbs.  Bran 

30  lbs.  Corn  Meal 

5  per  cent  Beef  Scrap 
to  which  is  added  thirty  per  cent  of  steamed  short-cut 
alfalfa  or  clover,  five  per  cent  of  high  protein  beef  scrap 
and  one  per  cent  grit,  this  food  to  be  mixed  with  water- 
tepid  water  in  winter  and  cold  water  during  warm  weather- 
Each  time  add  a  bit  of  salt  and  two  or  three  times  each 
week  add  one  per  cent  of  charcoal  to  this  crumbly-wet 
mixture.  Percentages  are  by  measure.  Feed  this  mash 
in  shallow  troughs  and  give  the  breeders  all  they  will  eat 
up  clean  in  a  period  of  fifteen  to  twenty  minutes  at  each 
meal.  In  feeding  mashes  of  any  kind,  care  should  be  ex- 
ercised not  to  over  feed. 


Fertile  Egg  Mash 

Additional  to  the  foregoing,  keep  a  fertile  egg  mash, 
consisting  of 

20  lbs.  Red  Dog  Flour  20  lbs.  Wheat  Bran 

30  lbs.  Corn  Meal  30  lbs.  Ground  Oats 

in  dry  form  before  these  fowls  all  the  time  in  waste-proof 
hoppers,  also  beef  scrap,  grit,  charcoal  and  crushed  oyster 
shell.  By  this  means  hens  that  are  on  the  nests  at  the 
time  the  noon  meal  is  fed  or  that  do  not  obtain  their  fill 
of  crumbly-wet  mash  during  the  fifteen  or  twenty  min- 
utes it  is  before  them,  can  go  to  the  hoppers  at  any  time 
and  get  what  they  want  of  the  fertile  egg  mash,  beef  scrap, 
etc.,  and.it  is  important  that  they  should  have  this  chance 
if  all  members  of  the  flock  are  to  lay  large-sized  eggs 
and  plenty  of  them. 

Be  sure  to  supply  green  food  daily  in  some  palatable 
form.  A  green  food  mash  composed  of  nine  parts  steamed 
short-cut  alfalfa  and  one  or  two  parts  of  egg  mash,  fed 
once  daily,  preferably  at  the  noon  hour,  is  urgently  rec- 
ommended. Sprouted  oats  are  excellent;  turnips,  carrots, 
beets,  etc.,  will  answer  the  purpose. 

Poultry  keepers  who  wish  to  do  so  can  omit  the  wet 
mash,  simply  feeding  the  scratching  food  in  deep  litter, 
egg  mash  (dry)  and  beef  scrap  in  hoppers  and  using  the 
green  food  mash  (nine  parts  steamed  short-cut  alfalfa  and 
one  to  two  parts  egg  mash),  or  giving  them  green  food 
in  some  other  form  and  this  plan  will  produce  rich,  strong- 
ly-fertile eggs,  but  not  as  many  of  them  per  layer  during 
the  important  period  from  January  or  February  to  the 
end  of  the  hatching  season.  To  increase  the  egg  yield, 
supply  one  meal  daily  of  a  crumbly-wet  mash,  composed 
of  ten  parts  egg  mash  and  three  parts  of  steamed  short- 
cut alfalfa,  mixed  thoroughly  and  left  before  the  breeders 
fifteen  to  twenty  minutes. 

Another  practically  sure  way  to  increase  the  egg 
yield  where  pullets  or  hens  are  a  bit  backward,  is  to  "add 
variety"  by  giving  them  once  each  day  a  moderate  amount 
of  cut  green  bone  or  finely-chopped  fresh  meat.  This  will 
"rest  them"  from  the  beef  scrap  to  which  they  have  been 
accustomed  from  the  early  days  of  chickhood,  and  they 
will  respond  quickly.  However,  in  case  of  large  flocks 
this  plan  is  not  practical  on  account  of  the  extra  labor  and 
expense. 

Given  strong,  healthy  parent  stock,  the  chicks  that  are 
raised  as  advised  in  this  article  and  that  are  fed  and 
managed  (in  their  capacity  as  breeders)  as  here  directed, 
will  produce  large-sized  eggs,  rich  in  nourishment — eggs 
that  if  fertilized  by  a  vigorous  male  will  give  you  the  kind 
of  chicks  that  "have  the  kick  in  them,"  the  kind  that  under 
proper  care  will  grow  steadily,  in  fact,  rapidly  from  shell 
to  market  age  or  to  maturity.  You  want  large-sized  eggs, 
rich  in  nourishment,  because  these  factors  are  necessary 
to  large-sized,  healthy  chicks.  Nature  is  compelled  to 
build  the  chick  with  the  materials  you  supply.  A  small 
egg  means  a  small-sized  chick  and  a  "lean"  egg — an  egg 
deficient  in  nourishment — means  a  weakened  chick  or  one 
more  that  will  die  in  the  shell.  We  wish  that  every  reader 
of  these  lines  could  fully  realize  that  it  is  of  the  utmost 
importance  that  the  breeders  shall  be  right  and  that  the 
hatching  eggs  shall  be  right,  provided  success  is  to  be 
achieved  and  profits  are  to  be  made  in  any  branch  of  the 
poultry  business  as  a  stock-growing  industry.  Without 
such  breeders,  and  such  eggs,  the  hope  of  permanent  suc- 
cess and  of  satisfactory  profits  will  prove  to  be  a  will-o'- 
the-wisp,  first  to  last. 

Healthy,  vigorous  breeding  stock  that  is  properly 
handled  means  "hatchable"  eggs,  and  it  is  a  true  saying 
that  "chicks  well  hatched  are  half  raised." 


